On a lark found myself in that dark secret restaurant no one goes to I’ll take the soup of the day my vain attempt to avoid extravagance And desert to say farewell to another lovely person Yes, I would like fresh ground pepper to give the soup some kick “’O sole mio” belting out into the well–appointed empty room Spinach–lobster soup Hearty and delicate Plenty of bread with which to dip And something in its craftsmanship Some hidden source of quality Slows me I shift gears Look upon the playing of traffic lights refracting through the beveled glass Lose myself gazing at the Christmas light–encircled tree And savor Dip, dip, dip Savor Reflect Gaze Dip Spoon A bit of lightheadedness some garrulous fullness overtakes me This happens on rare occasions unexpectedly in exotic places That restaurant in Quebec when I became giddy I try to talk to the waiter as he is about to remove my bowl Three times I work my mouth before I get the words out Chocolate sauce for the vanilla pudding with raspberries? They accommodate me with a delicate dribble of chocolate syrup over raspberry sauce atop a ridiculously small mound of pudding and four raspberries Still overcome by the soup I wait Allowing more minutes and traffic to pass till I gently approach the plate I carve out one small sliver and Bomb out in its astonishing taste So, time stands still nibble by nibble Each spoonful an era Regaling in the comradery of each wafting aria And cherish every bit What are those sparkling specks? Perhaps some pixie dust laced in it Now, making it a stranger place, My lips start tingling ten seconds after each taste Is this what life is So jam–packed with goodness that each tiny sliver is a world of foolishness? The timeless moment drags on Confound it; I can’t finish this song I’m too full — Not another bite — Please wrap it up and goodnight