Breakfast

I try to remember why—

In Old English—morgenmete

Was the morning meal,

Not breakfast, like now,

Which breaks the period

After a night’s fast.

My mind wanders far

To think East, where

The poor in Burma eat

Fried rice with peas,

Served with green tea;

China’s breakfast includes

Noodles, soups, dim sum;

Japan has miso and nori;

But still back here there’s

Waffles and pancakes,

Sausage, eggs, biscuits;

And back in my mind, here—

My body, my temple—nothing.