The Lunchtime Painter – Poem by DS Maolalai

Poetry by DS Maolalai

I think of you
moving
in your kitchen,
which smells
of earth and rich harvests – grain
running the table
and tumbling over tupperware, yogurt
and rich black creamy coffee – carefully
putting together
a frozen salad
with lettuce and green leaves
fresh
as biting a river. you are precise
in your placement – rocket,
lettuce
and spinach
settled delicately
on the edge
with red onions
in small enough quantities
to add flavour
without running the room. no tomatoes,
of course,
but a couple of strawberries
for colour
and a little sweetness. a handful
of seeds
tossed casually
and held with vinaigrette. you are
a painter. you paint
with salad.
and salad
is not shine, nor only
flavour;
it is that
with pure cold
and it hits green
placed artfully
and sounding
like a wet
meadow.

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About the Poet

DS Maolalai has been nominated for Best of the Web and twice for the Pushcart Prize. His poetry has been released in two collections, “Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden” (Encircle Press, 2016) and “Sad Havoc Among the Birds” (Turas Press, 2019)