COOKING FOR ONE by Gillian Southgate

First thing: turn your computer off. You’ve worked since six a.m.

You’re absolutely starving, and you’re on your own, pro tem.

So dig a fat white onion out, and dice it very fine,

Add two crushed cloves of garlic and a glass of good red wine,

Then put in oregano, thyme, and sugar (just a tad)

A tin of chopped tomatoes, and the best mince to be had.

If you like, throw in some pepper, broken mushrooms, what you will,

Some fennel, even, but leave out the stronger herbs, like dill.

Cook all of this down slowly on an even, gentle heat,

And you’ll end up with a pasta sauce that’s pretty hard to beat.

At this point, pour yourself another glass of something red,

Boil up spaghetti in a pan, or penne shapes instead,

Add just a little oil so that the pasta moves about,

Then drain, supply a shallow bowl, and spoon the supper out.

Italian food is just the thing to cook if you’re on furlough,

A dish for one, and perfect with another glass of Merlot.

 

(This poem was the winning entry in a recent Literary Competition in The Oldie)