Sick Day

Washed into the shallows of an uptown bar.

Drifting in and out of the daily news.

Coming up only to tip the glass 

or the ruby-lipped waitress.  

Outside, faceless sharks in corporate attire
maneuver between bento-box lunches
and the office cubicle.

This is as much as I will attempt today:

       feigning illness

       for a few deep breaths

       above the waterline.

Christ, they'll drag you under

if you surrender to it.

Poor Bernard, last week 

suffered a coronary at his station.

Colleagues stepped past him for hours 

presuming an afternoon nap.

Helen survived twenty-nine years

at the company,

then died in a traffic accident

driving home from her retirement party.

They were feeder fish,

swimming the same current

until a tide of misfortune

left them flapping on the shore.

Not me.

I am throwing back pints mid-day

crafting another exit strategy

that will evaporate with the alcohol.

This one involves a holy book

authored under mysterious circumstances,

a cryptic luminary with blinding charisma

and undiagnosed sociopathy,

tax exempt status,

a call center in India

that provides spiritual counseling

to the downtrodden.

For a modest donation

you too

can experience a wave of miracles

in your life.

**First published in Ink Nest Poetry magazine

Curried Potato and Vegetable Soup

     "It was all yellow" . . . Autumn is afoot and soon the summer vegetables will retire for the season.  Take the opportunity to enjoy this delicious, yellow summer soup . . . Bon Appétit.

INGREDIENTS 

• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 small yellow summer squash, roughly chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 2 cups cauliflower florets, roughly chopped (about 1/2 a head)
• 1 1/2  lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered and cut into 1/2-inch  slices
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 cup button mushrooms, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp shaved ginger
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon tumeric
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• 5 tablespoons sea salt
• 3 tablespoons cracked pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water

          GARNISH

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

          ACCOMPANIMENT

• Cheese, nuts, crackers; white or rose wine

     1).  In a large stock pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, garlic, ginger, bell pepper and carrot.  Stir in tumeric, mustard seed, cumin seeds and curry powder until everything is well coated.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and bell pepper is lightly browned (12-15 minutes).

     2).  Add the vegetable broth, water, potatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, salt and pepper.  Increase heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and let simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

     3).  Add the corn and summer squash.  Zest a full lemon into the pot, then add juice of the lemon.  Stir.  Cook 10 minutes more, until vegetables are heated through.  Use an immersion blender to purée 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup (depending on your consistency preference).  Adjust seasonings to taste.

     4).  Ladle soup into individual serving bowls and top with fresh cilantro leaves. 

 Accompany with cheese, nuts and crackers.

SERVES 6