Tried to Cook Dinner:

I set out to simmer a humble stew,

A pinch of thyme, a dash of roux.

I grabbed the cumin ... whoops, “Summon” spice?

Must be a boutique blend at half the price.

I whisked in circles, salt for luck,

Drew a little star ... just kitchen schmuck.

But my pasta pentagram looked quite legit,

And the smoke alarm shrieked, “Commit! Commit!”

The pot went gurgle, the lights went dim,

My oven preheated…to seraphim.

With a whoosh of steam and a sulfur sneeze,

A demon popped up, clutching recipes.

“Who calls Beelze-Broil?” it hissed with flair.

“I’m trying to sauté here,” I swear.

It peeked in my pot with a gourmet sigh,

“You’re burning the onions ... let me try.”

It seized my spatula, flipped with pride,

“Your mirepoix’s weeping, let it confide.”

A sprinkle of doom, a splash of zest,

“Never fear, mortal, I roast my best.”

We diced some shallots, we stirred the rue,

He hummed infernal bossa nova, too.

“Add hella-peños,” he winked. “It slaps.”

“Maybe just jalapeños?” I checked the caps.

He plated the stew on bone-white plates,

“Pair with red ... something that negotiates.”

I found box wine; he didn’t judge,

Just cited a pact and a soft fudge smudge.

We feasted together at quarter to night,

He praised my napkins, I praised his bite.

“Deviled eggs?” he grinned. “On brand.”

I passed the paprika like shaking hands.

When dinner was done and dishes were clean,

He signed my cookbook: “Keep pots pristine.

If you crave my help, just stir sunwise ...

But skip the salt circle. It dries my eyes.”

He vanished in sparks and a potholder poof,

Leaving faint hoofprints on my roof.

Now I label spices with careful pen:

CUMIN (nice) and SUMMON (friends).

- Julia O’Hara 2025

THANK YOU for reading my work. I am a global nomad/permanent traveler, or Coddiwombler, if you will, and I move from place to place about every three months. I am currently in Peru and heading to Chile in a few days and from there, who knows? I enjoy writing articles, stories, songs and poems about life, spirituality and my travels. You can find my songs linked below. Feel free to like and subscribe on any of the platforms. And if you are inspired to, tips are always appreciated, but not necessary. I just like sharing.

YouTube Top Song List.

https://www.YouTube.com/results?search_query=julia+o%27hara+top+songs

Amazon PlayList

https://www.amazon.com//music/player/artists/B0D5JP6QYN/julia-o'hara

Spotify PlayList

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2sVdGmG90X3BJVn457VxWA

You can also purchase my books here:

https://www.lulu.com /spotlight/julie-ohara

I am also a member of Buy Me A Coffee – a funding site where you can “buy me a cup of coffee”

https:www.buymeacoffee.com/JulieOHara