Piker Press — Weekly Journal of Arts and Literature
April 27, 2026

Dinner Etiquette

A tale of food and heartache. Winner of the 2005 Piker Press Poetry Open.

the man on television
says that salt is not good for
you so I continue to
pour it in your open wounds
you can eat the eggplant of
my eyes and lavender rings
never mind but fried is not
healthy even though chickens
usually are
          eat it all
you bitch and see how it feels
to be stuffed with no release
haven't you learned by now that
you can't make me the way you
want fried filleted
baked boiled or
flambéed and
the man on television
says that I should smoke more cold
bones and continue the
curing process with your tears

Winner of the Piker Press Poetry Open.
More poetry → Full issue →
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