Sometimes I feel like my appetite for life
is the same as my dog’s appetite for cheddar
I barely let it touch my tongue
before I am gulping it down
then already begging
for the next precious nuggets
I always want more
It feels impossible for me to conceptualise
how much of this magical substance is healthy
I need some outside authority
to draw the line for me
I’d much rather my life felt
more like myself eating cherries
play around with the green stems,
where all the deliciousness starts from,
then put the whole sweet thing in my mouth,
bite down just enough into the rich red juice of it,
with my teeth, work my way around the hard parts,
take satisfaction in spitting the stones out.
I savour the flavour as I
swallow all of the best bits.
I’m left with marks on my fingers
and a deeper colour in my smile.