Sushi

Our chins drip with the sweet saltiness

of soy sauce goodness,

tummies full of roe.

Such a woe

that the stars are out already

and it's time to take our

take-outs to go.

Slices and chops my heart

into raw pieces

to leave you hanging

by seaweed thin strips

onto my promises

and rain checks.

Living wabi-sabi with my wasabi

every day of the work week

I know all my flaws are super chic.

Paid my cents

for the rent, 

but I catch your mirin sweet scent-

it's heaven-sent.

Outside, 

Tokyo's token neons

burn harder than the stars,

cars honk horns and go on.

Tuck my heart into

big fat sushi rolls,

umami of tuna meat,

vinegar broth rice,

and sweet dips.

Play nice

and maybe the time will slip

away. 

Author's Note

This was quite fun to write! I finished it in under 20 minutes.

Wabi-sabi= The Japanese aesthetic of appreciating beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete" in nature. I know I haven't done justice to this philosophy in the poem, but in my defense, I wanted to write a light-hearted and fun poem.
Mirin= a rice wine used in Japanese cooking
umami= one of the five basic tastes, which has been described as savory and is characteristic of broths and cooked meats

(I have always wanted to include the words wabi-sabi and umami in a poem because the words have a beautiful sound)

Reviews

[SleeplessVolcano]

Mmm I don’t really eat sushi but your poem is tempting me! Great writing!

[Angelove]

Loved this! Somehow it made me hungry for sushi!Hmm.

[Sami Khalil]

"Slices and chops my heart
into raw pieces
to leave you hanging
by seaweed thin strips
onto my promises
and rain checks."

[Sami Khalil]

Tasty treat for your readers filled with unique cultural foods and mixed heritages. A fun read with some good rhyming.