An attribute to Rhapsody of Pasta ( Rhapsody of Fufu) Nikki Olagbegi

Foods like amala and eba 

Made with stews like efo riro and ogbono

Served on huge plates for everyone to eat

These food originating from the Yoruba towns

And newer preparation for these dishes originating from outsider towns

 

In the spring, the time before the rainy season

And the time when many crops are beginning to be picked

As the weather warms up 

Everyone plays outside and at night 

It’s the best time for suya

 

As celebrations are on the rise

People dress in their best Ankara and drink Malta

We sit in the shades fanning ourselves

As we cook chicken stew

Served best with a plate of rice

 

As fall comes along  

The rain finally tapers off

And the mosquitoes begin to dissipate

Everyone begins to use their big bean pot

The time when ewa oloyin must be eaten 

And paired with garri or bread

 

In the wintertime

The driest and coldest season

When everyone comes back home

a time to warm up and have a joyful conversation

A little pepper soup is the best

 

Therefore each dish is served best for a particular time

Depending on the occasion and weather

If it were to be served out of order 

The food might not be as pleasant for the season

 

I chose to imitate Rhapsody of Pasta. This piece connected with me as the author describes specific foods for particular seasons and thinking of my childhood, my family would do the same thing too. So, I decided to write my poem using foods related to each of the seasons in my culture. Through writing this poem, I learned that the author describes the seasons through nature outside. This was a new insight for me since we tend not to emphasize the weather so much where my family is from. Also, the weather doesn’t change drastically from one season to the other and really there are only 2 distinct seasons in Nigeria. Therefore I did some research and I learned about how nature plays a part in my culture. Also, I noticed how big of a part Bing plays in the author’s culture as he often mentions the different versions mentioned earlier in the reading. I think there is a cultural DNA in the piece as Shu xi mentions specific dishes such as angan and bozhang that are not even well known to the authors. I also incorporated dishes specific to my culture as I was writing this piece and tried to write of situations when I would have these dishes such as pepper soup and suya. Pepper soup is a very spicy dish and typically the best time to have it is in the winter to warm up and clear any sinus. Suya is another spicy dish made by cooking meat on skewers. Since it is primarily cooked outdoors it is best to have it early spring when the weather isn’t too cold and before the rainy season begins.

One Reply to “An attribute to Rhapsody of Pasta ( Rhapsody of Fufu) Nikki Olagbegi”

  1. Nikki, this is a fine poem. I enjoyed reading it very much. However, your reflection falls short of details and support. We really want to hear more of your thoughts on the 5 prompt questions. We really like your work, but you’ve lost points on areas such as “completeness,” “specificity,” ” engagement with material,” and “connection making.” I wish you had expanded upon your answers with more reflections and references to the course materials and discussions.

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