Master Chef?
Press in and twist to ignite gas
Whoosh as orange flame fingers
retract into acute fire
a conflagration of blue-white.
Retrieve your non-stick frying pan
pour on a drop of cooking oil
heat until it starts to sizzle
lay sausages out on the pan.
Bollocks too much oil too much heat
skin turns milky and translucent
viciously bubbling until
they burst and spit livid juices.
They bespeckle my exposed skin
I twist the knob from high to low
and move the sausages around
try not to burn down the kitchen.
Darren Ryding is from Ireland and has just competed his MA in English and American Literature at the University of Kent. He has been shortlisted for the Hot Press Young Journalist award and his poetry has been accepted for publication by The High Window Press. He currently lives in Indonesia and yes he can eat spicy food.