Once again, the ribs are burned,
The chicken’s raw, the cabbage turned.
The lettuce leaves are hardly rinsed,
The grinder’s broken; the meat’s not minced.
–
And so you come and salvage the mess-
Somehow you did it, making things better as you always do-
And so it leads me to confess:
It’s better to appreciate a meal for two.
The Junction Journal 
Hi Jonlinson, just wanted to say how heartfelt and concise this poem is. What struck me, the theme of this poem, is that . All the failed attempts in the kitchen paint a picture of frustration, but also of someone trying their best.
What really delivers that theme is your use of contrast. The first stanza piles up mishaps with a kind of comic exasperation, and then the second stanza shows the contrast of how things can see chaotic and unfixable in the moment, but in the end they can turn out alright, if not good. That contrast makes the final line land very well, this idea that a “meal for two” isn’t about food at all, but about companionship and shared experience.
It’s a lovely reminder how mistakes, discomfort and a bad experience can be made a lot better with others.
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Hi Jonlison, I really like your poem. It felt a little funny at the start with all the cooking going wrong, which is so real too, but then it suddenly became very warm. It makes me think that having the right person with you can make even a messy moment feel memory. The line that I have most touch with is: “Somehow you did it, making things better as you always do—”. It’s such a simple sentence, but it shows a lot of care. I like how your tone changes from chaotic to gentle, and it made the ending feel really comforting. Thank you for sharing this piece.
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