Pressing Pause for Poetry: Daniel Nyikos

Photo via arepotatoeshealthy.com

For those of you who receive the American Life in Poetry column in your inbox, you probably recognize this poem (it was in this past week's edition, column 339). Although I can't find much about Mr. Nyikos on the world wide web, I do like what Ted Kooser (US Poet Laureate and creator of American Life in Poetry) has to say about him/this poem: "People have been learning to cook since our ancient ancestors discovered fire, and most of us learn from somebody who knows how. I love this little poem by Daniel Nyikos of Utah, for its contemporary take on accepting directions from an elder, from two elders in this instance."

Read on for a very modern poem that caught my eye because it feels so close to home...

Potato Soup

I set up my computer and webcam in the kitchen
so I can ask my mother’s and aunt’s advice
as I cook soup for the first time alone.
My mother is in Utah. My aunt is in Hungary.
I show the onions to my mother with the webcam.
“Cut them smaller,” she advises.
“You only need a taste.”
I chop potatoes as the onions fry in my pan.
When I say I have no paprika to add to the broth,
they argue whether it can be called potato soup.
My mother says it will be white potato soup,
my aunt says potato soup must be red.
When I add sliced peppers, I ask many times
if I should put the water in now,
but they both say to wait until I add the potatoes.
I add Polish sausage because I can’t find Hungarian,
and I cook it so long the potatoes fall apart.
“You’ve made stew,” my mother says
when I hold up the whole pot to the camera.
They laugh and say I must get married soon.
I turn off the computer and eat alone.

Such a quiet, almost sad ending as all of the fun and excitement ends and he is once again alone--but I also love the fact that through technology, he was able to have his mother and aunt "in the room" with him while he cooked.

And doesn't potato soup sound yummy on a cloudy, gray day like today? Don't forget to take some time today to slow down a bit, press pause, and soak up your Saturday...

Namaste!
Mary Catherine

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