Sacred Kitchen – a poem by Mark Tulin

Sacred Kitchen

The short-order cook
prepares his spiritual homage
in a sacred kitchen
between the grill
and deep fryers.

His ambition is full of flavor,
adding just the right amount of salt
to his tireless concoctions.

With eyes as bright as the sun,
he creates culinary magic
in his little cove of the paradise
with crispy home-fries
and Caribbean spices.

He flips the meat
into a garnished plate;
a grateful offering
to the Gods of appetite.

He spins his Dodgers’ cap backward
and prepares for the breakfast crowd,
topping off the omelet
with fresh hollandaise
that’s poured over
a perfectly cooked egg
in a drizzle of eternity.

Mark Tulin is a former therapist who lives in California.  He has a chapbook, Magical Yogis, and two upcoming books: Awkward Grace, and The Asthmatic Kid and Other Stories. He’s been featured in Fiction on the Web, Ariel Chart, Leaves of Ink, among others.  His website is Crow On The Wire.