Cooking with Poetry

If nouns and verbs have been likened to the meat and potatoes of poetry, why not pronouns to pasta? Adjectives to sauces. Adverbs to garnish, like parsley. Articles (indefinite) to herbs, and (definite) to salt and pepper. Prepositions to water. Conjunctions to wine. The challenge is in the selection, proportion, blending, and balance of the ingredients, so as not to scorch, dull, or cloy the palate, as well as presentation on the page, tingling in the ear, and adept service. And of course that chef’s incomparable, passion.