Gingerbread Children

A Fairy Tale Cookery Poem (there are more of these waiting in the
wings)
(originally published in In/Words Magazine 13.3 (2014): 22-23) 

In a deep dark ceramic bowl
soak raisin finger ends
until plump
in prune of grandmother juice mixed
with a dollop of honey, citrus zest and
arabian spices, only the best

In a dish with a spoon
combine one Jack’s worth of bone
meal, finely ground
almond slivers
hulled blue flax and a leavening agent
            five fluttering fairy wings
and set aside

Beat red
hen eggs, three
plus a quart of milky white
in a Papa bear stein
until frothy like seafoam

Alternate between dry
and wet additions
from dish and bowl and stein
to a great gingerbread basin
stirring with a wooden spoon fit
for a crooked gnome of a man
to create a supple paste

Knead in jolly miller flour and roll
into a long beanstalk
pinch off goodly morsels and
form into child-like shapes
sprinkle with silver balls
place in dancing circles
on a well-oiled sheet and
shove into a hot oven with
a BANG

Walk your chicken hut thrice around the wood
and your baking will be good