POETRY

The Unappetizing Appetizer

by Whitney Winters

Seaweed, avocado, salmon eggs, raw fish;
Rice is the only thing I care for in this Japanese dish.
These exotic components all rolled into one.
Just seeing them makes me want to run.
This monstrous glob of intimidating food
Just sitting there staring, waiting to be chewed.

So I timidly reach with my clumsy chopsticks,
My hands shaking as if I have a tick.
I lift the little miscreant up to my mouth
And pray to the Lord that I don’t pass out.
It just barely fits; this sushi’s so large.
My mouth opens wide enough to let in a barge.

I chew and I chew and I chew some more.
I chew until chewing becomes quite a bore.
That repulsive taste I expected to find
Never showed up; it was all in my mind.
Sure, it’s odd, like nothing I’ve tasted,
But my efforts weren’t entirely wasted:
That wasn’t so bad. I might have another.
As long as I don’t envision poor Nemo’s brother.

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