Tapenade Or Not Poem by Douglas Scotney

In an Italian bulk-buy supermarket in Adelaide one day -
plug Gaganis Brothers - I wondered why
anyone would buy a two litre container of capers.

I made no effort to find out, then later by a month,
in search of 'tarrass', I chanced upon 'tapenade'.

I wondered if it could still be called that,
if I pasted capers, black olives,
olive oil, lemon juice and parsley,
left out anchovies,
and instead added parmesan cheese.

You see, vegetarians I was to host.*

'On the tarrass', 'on the terrace',
is where Hamlet
was hit on by the ghost.