Issue #25 - Festive Poetry

Our final November issue brings some festive poems

Note from Editor

Good morning, We Have Foodies!! (I just decided this is the fandom name, the fandom is like me and my 3 friends who read this?? IDK, if you read will you please comment sometime so I don’t feel like I’m talking into the void? I think my mother reads this occasionally too. Hello mother). It’s festive season here in the United States and as someone who grew up seeing a lot of these holidays on TV and movies, I’m still fascinated by winter and snow and Christmas and Thanksgiving. I did make a really yummy meal for Thanksgiving (pic below). It’s a terrible holiday in principle because of the genocide it represents and the ongoing genocide in the world right now but it also reminds me of how I would not have time to visit my family since Thanksgiving break was so short. So, I like to cook dinner for friends who are around and want a warm family meal.

Claris’s poems are also special because Claris was in the first issue of We Have Food at Home and our first submitter. I’m always so touched when people come back and submit because it’s a testament that they appreciate this lil blog and the work I put in (for 5 minutes every Wednesday lol). Either way, I have always wanted this to be an outlet to talk about food, write about warmth, and embrace the love our culinary dreams bring. So, I’m always happy when we have a returning author. Enjoy her poetry and let me know if there are any traditions you’ve reclaimed as your own!

Claris Lam

Claris Lam (she/her) writes poetry and fiction. She has two self-published novels and is currently writing more. Her poems and short stories have been featured in several collections and literary magazines. You can learn more about her work at https://clarislam.ca

Hard-Baked

Despite baked failures,
from crispy bites burnt to tongues
over-salted, we keep creating
oven-heated treats
hoping for sugared slices 
of sweet paradise, mixed with 
nostalgic cozy occasions, 
powdered with homey memories. 

Frozen Pizza

The rising dough grows
triumphant, through heated fights
over frozen states 
warming into delicious
dough savored by all tastebuds.

Christmas Cookies

Dough shaped into candy canes, 
sprinkled with peppermint chunks 
while thumb-printed goods line baking sheets,
sweet smells filling the air with holiday cheer,
reminders of past festivities. 

Icing glazed on baked confections,
transforming them into edible elves and reindeers,
to marvel at on glass screens and eat in reality
to dip in hot chocolate, coffee, or tea
and savor them now, since Christmas time is here.