We had a snow day on Sunday. No church. No walk. (Superbowl for hubby, though – the TV wasn’t snowed in.)
I used the gift of those extra hours to tidy up my gmail and in the process came across a poetry prompt that I couldn’t resist. So I also wrote a poem.
Mustard
Seeds the size of faith
ground and added to young wine
became the fiery condiment
must-ardens*
Sauce as ancient as Indus and Rome,
modern French’s, dyed paprika and turmeric,
drips from every summer hotdog
stains every childhood shirt.
Hulled or whole-grained, sophisticated mustard
mixes congenially with vinegar, wine, water
lemon juice, whiskey, beer; remains
a wholesome but tart foil to ham, chicken, cheese.
Bavarian or Dijon, sweet or hot
honeyed, spiced, fruited, or Poupon
yellow to brown this world citizen
is welcome at tables on every continent.
A jar of French’s still lives in my Canadian fridge—
faithful standby for sausages, wieners, mayonnaise
parson at the emulsification nuptials of oil and vinegar
and a spread for a 5-year-old’s favorite sandwich.
© 2017 by Violet Nesdoly (All rights reserved)
* How it came to be called “mustard”:
The first element is ultimately from Latin mustum, (“must,” young wine) – the condiment was originally prepared by making the ground seeds into a paste with must. The second element comes also from Latin ardens (hot, flaming).
Source: Wikipedia.
The post that contains the prompt: “Eating and Drinking Poems: Barbara Crooker’s ‘Ode to Olive Oil’“ quotes Barbara Crooker’s wonderful poem in full.
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This post is linked to Poetry Friday, hosted today by Katy at her blog The Logonauts.
Violet Nesdoly 
Leave it to a snow day to launch creativity about an everyday item – mustard! And I learned a few things about mustard along the way.
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Thank you, Leigh Anne! I learned lots too. I love writing poems that need a little research.
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Mouthwateringly wonderful poem!
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Thanks, Jama. That means a lot from a foodie like you!
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Educational AND delicious!
I especially like “parson at the emulsification nuptials of oil and vinegar” 🙂
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Thanks, Tabatha. Wasn’t sure how to include that little ability of mustard’s. Glad you think it worked.
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Delicious–and informative. I will appreciate my mustard even more now.
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I left a lot out too, Kay! One thing I learned about mustard is about its anti-bacterial properties. One doesn’t even have to refrigerate it—though we still do.
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Yum, I am a mustard fan. Now I miss summer more than ever.
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Thanks, Brenda, You’ll have to cook something that could use mustard even in the winter… or use it in one of its many iterations (like honey mustard dip!)
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Burgers! Now there is a good meal, summer or winter. 🙂
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I love it! Even mustard must have its day in the poetry world!
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That’s right Kiesha! Everything is grist for the poet’s mill.
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I so love this celebration of the everyday – who knew that mustard could inspire such poetry? 🙂
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Thanks, Jane! When I read the prompt “Write a poem about a condiment” mustard was the first one that entered my head. I wonder, what would you, what would others choose as a condiment to write a poem about?
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KETCHUP. I’d absolutely choose ketchup. I’m famous in my family for being a ketchup fiend. “Would you like some fries with your ketchup?” 😉
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This is wonderful – and so is the prompt! I’m holding on to it for later! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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Thanks, Ruth! I’d love to read a condiment poem by you!
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Wow. I love the way you wove fact into your poem, yet spiced it with creativity.
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Thanks so much, Katswhiskers!
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Oh, I do love it when a poem helps us understand a bit of history. I didn’t know anything about mustard! Now, I do. Well done, Violet! My favorite line: welcome at tables on every continent.
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Thanks so much, Linda! I have a new respect for mustard after researching it a bit.
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Ah, that faithful standby. Wonderful to read and celebrate, Violet, and I learned the word origin too, interesting. I keep it in my fridge too, & yes, for the grandkids, but prefer a grainy brown.I like spicey things a lot!
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Thank you, Linda! Actually we have several mustards around too, and reading about all the different kinds has made me curious to try even more. I must look for something spicy… I love spice.
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What a great prompt! Your poem was such fun to read and I learned a lot, too–great combination. Next time I open my fridge I’ll be eyeing that door shelf filled with past-expiration condiments a little bit differently. Thanks!
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Thank you!
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“Past expiration condiments” I hear you! how many times don’t we buy a bottle of something for a special recipe, it gets used once and then languishes in the fridge door! Thanks mbhmaine!
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Thank you for teaching me about mustard! I have to admit, I’m drooling just a little, thinking about a crisply roasted hotdog with bright yellow mustard…
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Thanks, Mary Lee!
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Lovely, just plain lovely, Violet! I must say you took a very common subject and created a wonderful expository poem. Great mentor poem. Mustard of any kind for me. Definitely on hot dogs and corn dogs. When I was a kid, my mother made vegetable soup using beef bones, she’d pull the meat from the bones and serve it on the side with a bowl of the soup. I loved a dab of plain yellow mustard on those juicy, tender pieces beef.
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Alice, what a beautiful memory! Thanks.
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