Four pieces drop into my plate with nary a sound.
I tilt the now-empty container sideways —
Until it’s upside down.

I study the scarlet residue with reserved admiration.
While the last drop trickles slowly,
My hunger nears cessation.

I bend my head closer, closer to this solitary plate.
The smell seems to greet me “hello” —
Vampiric urges I must sate.

The sight of this foursome infuses me with ardent desire.
My proclivity for seafood dining
Increases by the hour.

I take the first one with my silver spoon and bit.
Roll and roll in my tongue it goes —
Sauce merging with spit.

The initial thought registers pleasure, and then awe.
The tender attribute of this Piscean flesh
Conveys no flaw.

It bleeds beautifully in my lips, a feisty flood of feasting.
Engulfing me in pure sublimity,
Taste buds near-bursting.

I wait for the expectant crack when teeth meets fillet.
But my chewing remains unopposed,
Unhindered in every way.

With unexpected glee, its lithe filaments they quaver,
Brushing inside my guileless cheeks,
Seducing me with flavor.

My spirit declares gluttony but my tongue screams delight!
Something that tastes this good can’t be wrong!
Ergo, it must right!

Now the bits are ground, I prepare myself to swallow
This crimson victual of incessant charm
Down my neck’s hollow.

And there it is, it lingers still, the faintest remnant
Of something resembling Beatlesque bliss
In my throat, for an instant.

The moment subsides, now I’m left with a mercurial smile.
My restless tongue pleads repetition —
I’ll concede in a while.

I utter pearls of gratitude for this marvelous mastery.
Praise to him whose dexterity created
This gastronomic poetry.

I sit without a word, except for one contented sigh.
I stare at the remaining three pieces
Then I let out a cry …

… God, I just love sardines!


This piece originally appeared in Paperbag Origami as a creative writing exercise.