A Finely Processed Delicacy
A Poem by Tom Shaw
Playing chicken with the rotten wash that foamed his nose to the sinuses, fork hovering back-and-forth with hesitancy for this ‘delicacy’. Looking neither animal nor plant, perhaps a little wormish, insectoid, maybe part tentacle, for sure artificial, puffed-up suckers to drain his insides. But he’s a guest at this party, who swallow this monster with pride. So he follows suit, opens wide and takes a plunge - in a gushing rush of gangrenous juices, souring his teeth and making mincemeat of his cheeks, dragging the inside of his throat down with it, producing the urge to throw it all up. But he’s a guest and so he smiles, tongue tied up in terrible treacle, trying to masticate tar and rubber, dreading what the main course might bring.
A Finely Processed Delicacy - A Poem by Tom Shaw
Music: Musique De Table. Seconde Production. (Banquet Music II): Trio in E Minor
This poem originally came out of a writing session run by
as part of her Poetic Library Spotlight series. With a theme of “Hunger and Disgust”, in response to “Hunger” by , we wrote a poem with a particularly unsettling banquet image prompt. I don’t have the original image, but I thought it would be fitting to let AI generate some monstrosity in-keeping with the nature of the poem. I think it did well.
I wanted to work a lot of ideas around processed food into this piece. So much of what we eat is not real food at all - it’s factory made garbage with addictive additives and empty fillers. The grand deception by manufacturers into believing this food is what we should be eating has happened over many years. The consequence? The rates of disease and illness in society are at an all-time high. For those conscious of this, it can be a pain to try and eat out or enjoy a meal somewhere that this knowledge is not widespread - a situation I have found myself in many a time. All of that became the poem you’re reading today.
But it doesn’t have to be this way - and it can be easier than you think to make it a reality. I’ve linked
’s straightforward introduction to “Real Food Made Simple” for those interested below.
Thank you for taking the time to read this piece. I hope it sparked something in you.
With gratitude,
Tom
Thank you, Tom for linking to my post🧡