By Robert Andersson
Gathered alone or with family and friends,
Under the lamp, in your bed, or where the table ends
Take a spoonful delicious, whether homemade or bought,
Smell the fumes, feel the taste, annoyed by a thought
‘Was the oil Fairtrade and was the egg fresh,
Are there allergens, which diets, should I eat flesh?’
Squeeze out a smile and suffocate your stress,
It tastes good, it feeds you, but you should eat less
Work through the plate like an Amazon bulldozer,
Plenty of sugar, sending humour to roller coaster
Realise that your beans provide pesticide inhalation,
Your potatoes are products of genetic manipulation
Fast food will kill you and slow food takes time,
Monoculture, counting calories and chickens in grime
So, chew your ideals and swallow them whole,
Your plate is a crime, no matter your role
When we eat, we make choices for planet and health,
Natural destruction, diseases or biological wealth
While the industrial efficiency is present today,
Lush gardens and life are coming to bay
With methods of old and respect we can grow,
Free from pain, free from toxins, just a little slow
Tomatoes with flavour and goat cheese on racks
Cabbage, quinoa, honey and flax
Strawberries and apples refresh a summer stray,
Beetroot and carrot, the soup on winter day
Stinging nettle, oxalis and sorrel from the ground,
Rose hips and raspberry in the bushes are found
When to eat, we can choose the good things to boil,
When we grow, we can choose to give back to the soil
So, chew your delicious and swallow it all,
Your plate is a gift, no matter how small
By Robert Andresson
Illustration: Mireia Lundquist