2. Poetry: Dim Sum Paradise: Soul Food
In Flushing, Queens, where reality transcends time and place. It is Asia. Easily. How could I ever leave New York?
art and poetry©by the author, all rights reserved
original entry: 3/28/07
Walk into the Kam-Sen Supermarket and you are in China. People even use Chinese currency. There is a sea of scaly glistening fresh fish, hot sizzling delicacies, lacquered ducks hang in the window. Every Asian sauce imaginable is in one of the maybe 10 aisles, every tea, soup, bags of little dried silver fish and shrimp, dessicated chestnuts, frozen confections with ridiculous translated names. Happy Mouth. You Taste. Rice cookers, woks, don’t forget the noodles. It’s all here and there and over there. Because there are hundreds of supermarkets like this one. And because this is New York.
Soul Food
©2001
Flushing, Queens you are
a glutton’s paradise,
Your melting pot of Chinese soup
can fill a Hungarian’s emptiness,
or a Colombian’s soul.
The dim sum credo:
I believe in the turnip cakes, the shrimp noodles, and the sticky rice.
Thy steam carts, they comfort me,
They deliver my bowl.
I accept the tao
of the yin and the yang
of burning, yellow mustard,
curled around the fiery chile sauce.
My heart is aflame
and desirous
of the gelatinous,
the crunchy,
the flaky,
the stuffed,
the sauced;
presented in threes
they are the holy trinities.
Comments
(16 total) Post a Comment
- Frida…
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Mmmm… why do you write so beautifully? Why you open up my appetite like that? 🙂
Saturday April 14, 2007 – 11:28pm (CDT) Remove Comment
Beautiful Poem Sue! (brushing stickey rice off my shirt) If you don’t mind, I think I’ll grab a rake and bucket,and head down to the beach. Hopefuly I can dig-up a few clams for super! Great Post 🙂
Wednesday June 20, 2007 – 12:32am (CDT) Remove Comment
- Cyn
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LOL! I’ll be eating all the while when I visit NYC this fall.
Tuesday June 26, 2007 – 08:10pm (CDT) Remove Comment
Sounds like chinatown in Chicago…mmmm
Tuesday June 26, 2007 – 09:33pm (MDT) Remove Comment
after reading this i feel empty like a hungarian.
Wednesday June 27, 2007 – 02:15pm (EST) Remove Comment
Quelle gourmande!! Me, too. But I have to travel some distance to find all that. Worth it, definitely. Thanks for the taste tweaks!
Wednesday June 27, 2007 – 09:56am (CDT) Remove Comment
- debth…
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l’affaire gastronomique…..c’est magnifique. now, i need to make some steamed dumplings. ; D
Wednesday June 27, 2007 – 12:37pm (EDT) Remove Comment
- Suki
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jus as it is here, in paris! you find everything..all the spices n’ sauces of the world 🙂 thats terrific for an indian like me!! your poem is a beauty, dipped in yummy words animated and appetising 🙂 flowing straight from the eyes to the stomach!
Wednesday June 27, 2007 – 07:07pm (CEST) Remove Comment
- jayco…
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Amen. Thanks for the appetizer, moreso thanks for the poem. : )
Wednesday June 27, 2007 – 06:30pm (PDT) Remove Comment
yummy! spicy mustard!
Thursday June 28, 2007 – 09:31am (CDT) Remove Comment
Wonderful poem! I just love spicy food. 😀 Thanks for sharing. 😀
Friday June 29, 2007 – 12:06am (CEST) Remove Comment
- Susan…
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Just fabulous, so far this whole post has really brought back some memories, oh for some real food.
Thursday June 28, 2007 – 05:08pm (MST) Remove Comment
- Giles…
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Most delicious. Chinatown in London is like that. The waiters are all crazy though.
Saturday June 30, 2007 – 10:39am (BST) Remove Comment
- Tee-b…
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Love the poem…to be inspired by dim sum and Flushing, Queens and to write these words out…beautiful!!
Saturday June 30, 2007 – 10:54am (EDT) Remove Comment
- tina c
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luv the poem i’m hungry now
Sunday July 1, 2007 – 08:35pm (BST) Remove Comment
- ~♥♫~S…
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ah now this has made me hungry!!! just coming by to enjoy the rest stop upon Jay’s page..Enjoy your day
Monday September 24, 2007 – 12:04pm (CDT) Remove Comment
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lauritasita wrote on Sep 16, ’08
Jeez, I’m reading about a poem about glorious Chinese food at 8:41 in the moring. BUT it’s still a great poem ! That’s one thing I miss about living over there. You described it very well as a glutton’s paradise ! Wishing you luck on the success of your manuscript ! I hope you are getting a lot done. Well, I know what I’m having for dinner tonight…Thanks for participating !
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billatplay wrote on Sep 16, ’08
You have a new name Hot Chopsticks, and boy how you would like my Chinese Special Rice.
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sanssouciblogs wrote on Sep 16, ’08
billatplay said
You are so funny, Bill!~
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You have a new name Hot Chopsticks, and boy how you would like my Chinese Special Rice. 
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lauritasita wrote on Sep 16, ’08
I’m having Chinese food for dinner, but it’s not the place that gave me the MSG fit.
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dianahopeless wrote on Sep 16, ’08
Delicious Dim Sum, aptly named Soul Food. A surprise in every morsel. As is your poetry.
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Oh, this is really…delicious, Sue! *yam yam* You’ve transferred the essences, the colors and the tastes so successfully on my laptop, that I virtually feel them!!! (By the way, I think I’ll make a visit to the fridge, lol!) 🙂
My best wishes for your book!!! *hugs* |
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sanssouciblogs wrote on Sep 17, ’08
Is anyone having a problem reding the page besides Solo??? I don’t know why he’s getting a black page!
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The scent of the air walking down the street, teasing us with promises… you have them here within your words, and my mouth is watering with hunger…. -janeen http://fluffyj.multiply.com/journal/item/308/September_15_2008_Mono_Monday_24_Plus_10
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forgetmenot525 wrote on Sep 18, ’08
the essence is here, you give a real ‘flovour ‘ of the place, the aroma wafts around me as I read……………..oh yummy I’m hungry now.
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sweetpotatoqueen wrote on Sep 18, ’08
I’m late…but finally made it here! Oh ,the imagery of this is absolutely divine! I always feel like I have a personal tour of NYC with you as the tour guide when you share your words about your city! When I make it back up to your city I am kidnapping you!!
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skeezicks1957 wrote on Sep 21, ’08
I too can even smell the markets yummy smells and I am hungry now also!
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Comments
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