Brenda Niskala

Brenda Niskala is a Canadian poet and short story writer. She is the Executive Director of the Saskachewan Publisher's Group in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada,  and was the first Poetry Workshop leader of the Survivors Poetry Group in Regina.



Poem

In Search of Organic Baby Potatoes

Yesterday in Marks & Spencer
I could not find unpackaged food

Just out of hospital at the National
where food is looked at forlornly
by six patients in a ward, unable to eat
we are sickened as tray after tray
Is brought and then swished away

Sometimes the only choice is not choosing

In the "interests of health and hygiene"
they do not recycle, re-use
or even reduce
the amount of mashed potato
plopped limply on each plate.

Yesterday, down the street from Marks and Spencer
a man in the street twirled round
on his blankets until he could lie
just right on the pavement beneath
the cash point machine. Close to him, a young woman
rigid on the bus stop bench
a bright parcel on her lap, chooses crisps delicately
from a plastic package.

This poem was performed by Brenda
with the West Euston Time Bank Purple Poets
at the Camden Green Fair,
Regent's Park, London, June 5th 2006.

(© Brenda Niskala. All rights reserved).

Camden Green Fair
complete reading