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Ask Me Your Fortune, If You Dare!

By Anita Nahal

PROMPT—Ask Me.

Brewed slowly the good ole broth Leisurely like the walk of a sloth Cold was Pythia’s war soup Fortune teller had no stoop Brewed slowly the good ole broth.

Lentil or meat in a steaming hot pot

Reeked heavy and was badly sought

Remnants of birds in the ladle

Ramifications recurring without a paddle

Lentil or meat in a steaming hot pot.


Fortune teller, grumpy and displeased

As if from torture she wanted release

Omikuji seekers looked for help

Thin paper strips flew by in yelp

Fortune teller, grumpy and displeased.


Oh! The irony of hand’s dealt cards

Somewhere a poet sat writing these bards

Teller in poverty

Seekers in royalty

Oh, the irony of hand’s dealt cards.


* Pythia: Pythia was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi and was its oracle. *Omikuji: Paper strips with fortune written on them at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan

 

Anita Nahal is an Indian American poet, flash fictionist, children’s writer, columnist, and professor. Anita has three books of poetry, one of flash fictions, four for children, and three edited anthologies to her credit. Her third book of poetry, What’s wrong with us Kali women, was released by Kelsay Books in August 2021. Anita teaches at the University of the District of Columbia, Washington DC. Two of Anita’s books are prescribed in a course on multiculturalism and immigration at the University of the Utrecht, The Netherlands. More on her at: https://anitanahal.wixsite.com/anitanahal

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