Ode to a Dominican Breakfast

Keep your pancakes, french toast, eggs

benedict, your muffins and scones

Keep your waffles and four types of syrup

the way your eggs scramble but never sizzle

Nothing more scrumptious than mangu con queso frito

The other day I wore a white dress

with a wide skirt and a red sash

I danced merengue barefoot on my stoop. I kissed the

Dominican flag, once for each time I remembered a taino word

yuca, batata, tanama, ocama, yautia, cacique, juracan,

every bite on the plate, every morsel like a bachata tune

This can all be yours, get off the long lines at the brunch spot

Forget the grits and cheesy okra. Ring my doorbell

Five ingredients: Olive oil, onions, plantain, white cheese and flour