Good Taste

by Florence Cox

Soft orange embryos
of flesh,
their dark blue wombs
split apart by heat,
nestle in pools of juice mingling
the sharp tang of the sea
with onion, garlic, cream and wine.

With siamese twin shells
as pincers,
pluck one
from its stubby white cord,
set it free
from its nacreous hold,
and lift it,
tip it into your mouth with the juices.

Let your teeth meet
the gentle resistance
of flesh,
your tongue
a torrent of taste,
your nostrils
the scent of the sea,
the ever-changing
splash
of the sea.

Copyright © 2020 Florence Cox