The Flemish poet Hilde Keteleer

TASTING LESSON ONE

Turn the senses wholly outside in.

Balance the light-spot in the bevelled glass

and see how far the years will reach.

Gently unfold the bouquet like butterfly wings,

imagine raspberries and whiffs of pepper.

Smell poetry.

Let the sun trickle in the cavity of your mouth.

Black berries, apples, apricots,

never quench your thirst with these flavours.

Catch vanilla on the tip of your tongue

and rid the palate of hurrying.

The first drink is groping with arms outstretched,

the second calls for new breath.

Then bend the arms

so that the shoulder straps slip downwards

and the neck offers a glass line

to the amazed taster.

Turn the senses wholly inside out.

This poem is from her collection 'All that is winter and true'.
for a parallel text version of the collection go to here