Leaf-Lunch Poem by Indira Renganathan

Gleaming, green and live
Like a tailless fish alive
Neatly cut and placed
Gemming sheen of water sprinkled..

Wished varieties cooked and brought on
Dished up with many a pattern
Items sweetened and savored
The tamilan way innovated

Served on sweetly first Paayasam
Of course hand to mouth a culinary mannerism
Delightful Pachdis sugar and salt varied next
Delicious curries dry and semi-solid next
Incomming pappads, crisp veggie- chips and pickle
Following fudges and ladoos and like many to tickle

Spooned in the centre hot rice
Mixed with sambar so spice
Rowed up curries inbetween morsels
Put into mouth, divine and dainty handsels
Next helping..rice and rasam too hot
Second helping..veggies to fill the heart

Sweet break..
Paayasam, much more to take
On and on...' No' to brake

Ending with rice and curd
Touchy pickles dotted and tasted
A meal of regale admired
A menu of plethoric choices
The banana leaf's magic flavours
And the stomach's cliche
Yeaaaave...belch