telephone dumplings

mutti said
Frenk you should be here
I’m making k-nedl-e
do you remember
what they are
dumplings for putting into chicken supa

sounds good ma
but what I always remember
from when I was a kid
is shoof-nudl-e
the yellow doughy-pastry that you used to make
into long thin ropes
by rolling it backwards and forwards fast
on your knee in the laundry

she laughed

don’t be silly Frenki
that was a joke I did once
for you children
shoof-nudl-e are rolled on a pastry board
you funny boy

supa is ready
do you want some

I wish you were here
goodbye now

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© Frank Prem, 2002

appeared in Melbourne zine ‘the mod-piece’ Issue 13 – prerogative – December 2002