Monday 20 August 2012

Mis-bake by Amy Ekins

I made a mistake.

Not one of those – mistook the salt for sugar
kind of mistakes, or – oops, the oven isn’t on
kinds either.

The mistake was to bake in the first place.

I measured out the ingredients as I mixed together thoughts
of your face, of your response
to my sugar-spun irises, smiling at you
from over a gateaux – no

I should never have stepped
out of obscurity and into the kitchen, covering
my countertops in cocoa, contemplating your kiss.

I presented it to you on a floral plate, too late
to take it back, to un-bake the offering
of the edible, and the inedible (that being myself).

The break-room was silent, as you stepped back three paces,
declared an allergy to dairy, and dashed, spilling tea from your tray as you went.

It was a weekend misspent, changing Miss to Mrs on stray envelopes,
a thought mis-baked, in an over-heated studio, in which the only contestant
is you.

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