Abecedarian Cake Love
A
birthday
cake --
decadent,
elegant,
frosting
gobbed
high --
I
justify
knifing
loose
my
notch --
objectify
perfection,
qualify
restraint,
savor
tastes
until...
voicing
with
eXuberance:
YUMMY!
amaZing!
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2014
BIRTHDAY CAKE
Measuring Spoons
Our advice?
Be precise.
Kitchen Aid
I stand…
I mix, blend,
whip, stir, knead…
at your command.
Cake Pans
We’re fickle.
Three layers stick
whenever we pick.
Violets on the Windowsill
We choose
purple for our blooms.
You make the air go blue
because of what the pans decided to do.
Table
Come sit.
Unwind.
Write a bit.
Find
the humor in all of it.
Be resigned,
start again. Don’t quit.
© Mary Lee Hahn, 2012
Measuring Spoons
Our advice?
Be precise.
Kitchen Aid
I stand…
I mix, blend,
whip, stir, knead…
at your command.
Cake Pans
We’re fickle.
Three layers stick
whenever we pick.
Violets on the Windowsill
We choose
purple for our blooms.
You make the air go blue
because of what the pans decided to do.
Table
Come sit.
Unwind.
Write a bit.
Find
the humor in all of it.
Be resigned,
start again. Don’t quit.
© Mary Lee Hahn, 2012
Here are a couple of my chocolate cake poems from the past.
I baked Hubby's birthday cake last night. He wanted to help, so I let him prep the pans. Lesson learned: don't give away one of the key steps in the process, something that you know by feel and by experience, not by look. One layer stuck horribly. Another stuck a bit.
I said a few choice words under my breath, but then I moved into "make lemonade" mode. I took the crumble layer, mixed it with a portion of the icing to make a globby cake-icing goo to put between the other two layers, and covered the whole thing with the rest of the icing. From the outside, it looks like my classic from-scratch chocolate cake. I'm sure it will taste just fine. I'm wondering if this wonky middle layer might become the new normal. Stay tuned.
Moral of the story -- don't get mad...INNOVATE!
Renee has today's Poetry Friday Roundup at No Water River.
Happy Friday, and happy birthday to him!
ReplyDeleteOh my lord never mind the cake! I skipped over the title and didn't realize that this genius innovation "justify knifing loose my notch"! was an abecedarian! Happy chocolate birthday cake to all of us!
ReplyDeleteSounds like your lemonade fix will be just right. :-) Lovely poetry was the best icing of all.
ReplyDeleteGiggling here, Cousin! 'Twas my birthday yesterday, so I shall think with amusement of this very crumb-cakey middle layer, knowing that it's probably the best part. Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteHA!! Oh, I have made the air blue while baking, too! What a wonderful expression! I'm glad you still got to have your cake and eat it too. :)
ReplyDeleteYou certainly know how to celebrate, Mary Lee! Brownie points to your hubby for wanting to help, but you get the coveted Problem Solver Award. The poetry slices were delicious! :)
ReplyDeleteWith your love of chocolate so evident to the world Mary Lee, might I suggest you seek out Michael Rosen's iconic poem, 'Chocolate Cake.' from his anthology, 'Quick Let's Get Out of Here.' Enjoy every last crumb...
ReplyDeleteWhat a joy-filled post. "Don't get mad. Innovate!" Great advice. Your chocolate cake abecedarian is as delicious as a chocolate cake!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a delicious post! I think your cake innovation sounds wonderful and I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes the new family favorite. "Violets on the Windowsill" made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteLove these delicious poems, Mary Lee! I've had innovate to save baking mishaps in the past, but haven't written too many poems about them. Now you've got me thinking. I'm sure the cake was yummy!
ReplyDeleteYumyum! And yay for your lemonade-making. :) Those Measuring spoons... perfectly precise as one would expect. Wonderful! xo
ReplyDeleteThis photo looks like a chocolate cake recipe I make and won a blue ribbon at the fair with when I was growing up. It's so moist, frosting it gets hard. I like how you just frosted the tops of each and deliciousness is really the only thing anyone is looking for. I bet the crumbles weren't noticed.
ReplyDeletePerfect poems for me today. Let's be honest, it is always time for chocolate in any form. :) It is also my husband's birthday! I enjoyed both he poem on this festive day!
ReplyDeleteMmmmm, chocolate cake! My boys still talk about your red velvet cupcakes! I probably should not admit that the air at my house turns blue pretty much every time I step into the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteLove it all, am sure the 'taste' will overpower any other thoughts of disaster, Mary Lee. I like "don't get mad, innovate". Life is too short to worry over a little "stuck cake"!
ReplyDeleteYum yum yummiest of posts! Your famous chocolate cake! LOVE the abecedarian too. Next time you make a cake mistake, just send it over here. Glad to be of service any time. :)
ReplyDeleteI love this! Will you make a cake for my birthday? Yours sounds especially good!
ReplyDeleteAs I stop baking for the night (neighborhood Oscar party tomorrow night), I think I will take your advice. Since the men bailed on the baking midstream, I am hoping that they take of the clean-up. I am embracing hope! Mary Lee, you made my night with your humor. Thanks a bunch.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this glorious treat for our eyes, yum! I love the shape of your cake poems above, and the "Abecedarian Cake Love" is eXuberant! This thought is perfect, "don't get mad...INNOVATE!" thanks for all!
ReplyDeleteLovely poems and a great lesson to persist! Happy birthday to your husband. I hope you both enjoy the cake. It looks delicious and that middle layer sounds scrumptious!
ReplyDeleteThis is perfect as I will be celebrating my birthday in a few days. Methinks I should revisit your post and recite the poems first thing. :) And look at that cake. Glorious.
ReplyDelete