I slam on the brakes commotion ahead hooting, shouting and swearing is somebody dead? a bicycle wobbles on the crown of the road the onion-man bringing his brown-braided load festooned round his handlebars trailing behind draped in long necklaces round, brown, entwined he takes off his beret he puts down his onions […]
PNSpring2011
Autumn Peas
He was a smaller man when I saw him again, his clothes one size too big, his face, a pencil sketch of the original. He was pulling up withered pea plants, desiccated pods, twisted and split discarding wrinkled peas on the dry autumn earth. How are you coping? We’re OK, things take longer. […]
Global Veg
“My dear, I get my beans from a nice little man in Nicaragua.” Ah, Nicaragua, once the land of the jaguar! Lady, know what a drag you are? In land next to lakes in Kenya the water-table gets teenier, the people there has-beans too, left high and dry. For you. Asparagus grown in […]
Desi New Year
She’s cookin’ tonight – cookin’ for the family, been to the market – oye chak de phatte! Makin’ sarson ka saag – we’re celebratin’ Lohri, I’m celebratin’ her – she celebratin’ me. Hit you’ daggah, babe – bom, bom, tap my tilli. Balle balle! She got ginger – she’s a chillie chillie. […]
On Planting Potatoes at Easter
All winter, I’ve nursed the seed potatoes. I’ve chitted them and tricked their green fuses To break out into anaemic, triffid shoots, Probing for the promise of light and summer. Now it’s Easter, ambiguous Easter: Time to halt the fooling about, and plant. Sow, seed, sperm, sex, egg, birth, shoots, spring, begin. I […]
Topical Tip
“My vegetable love should grow…” and Marvellous to note a mind so elevated touch upon a thing as lowly for Love’s likeness. (Hull’s a home to peas and poets.) Andrew as gardener though – I doubt it. He who knows his onions knows what Patience means : veg can’t be hurried – nor […]