Untitled - CSUN ScholarWorks - California State University, Northridge

106
Sometimes I wish
I could cover the world
with candy red,
ridiculous red,
and sticky sweetness
for at least a day ­
squeeze a stripe
of diner happiness
into thick red smiles.
Long ago, I ribboned hot dogs,
eggs and fries, slathered
Friday's fish sticks, stirred pink
into pastina, mashed it
into mashed potatoes -
spread it everywhere.
The Disneyland
of food - a moment's
plastic pleasure -
where tomatoes tum to frauds,
spurn their vegetable nature.
Try to free
the genie from its bottle ­
stubborn, reluctant,
then ploojl it's out ­
granting our wishes
in threefold globs,
which is magically
just enough.