Chef-d'oeuvre

A Dinner of Dessert

Thanksgiving 2010
Guest of Honor : David Shapiro

A Menu Poem
Chef-d'oeuvre A Dinner of Dessert by Geoffrey Gatza

Copyright © 2010

Published by BlazeVOX [books]

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without

the publisher’s written permission, except for brief quotations in reviews.

Printed in the United States of America

Book design by Geoffrey Gatza

First Edition

BlazeVOX [books]
303 Bedford Ave
Buffalo, NY 14216

Editor@blazevox.org

\
p ublisher of weird little books

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2 4 6 8 0 9 7 5 3 1
 A Dinner Menu of Dessert

Am useé

New York State Sparkling Wine With A Gingered Chrysanthemum Flower

Appetizer

A Mixed Grill Of Sugared Papaya, Lychee And Caramel Banana

Soup

Deep Chocolate And Tarragon Soup With Frothed Coffee Cream And Hazelnuts

Pièces M ontées

Chocolate Sculpture Of A Stuffed Turkey With Marshmallow Stuffing

D esserts From Around The W orld

Sour Cherry, Vanilla, Fig, Almond And Walnut Glyka

Firnee With Pistachios And Flavored With Cardamom.
Coconut Puff Cookies
Coconut Pudding Flavored With Clove And Ground Excellence
Scottish Black Bun
Mango, Banana, Strawberry, Sweet Potato, And Chestnut Mochi
Canned Peaches

Cheese, Port & Exotic N uts

D essert

The Best Rice Pudding In The World

 Table of Contents

The Big Story ................................................................................................................................................................................ 11

One Game of Scrabble ................................................................................................................................................................. 13

eagerly ................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Pain........................................................................................................................................................................................ 21
Row ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Whaler................................................................................................................................................................................... 26

Scrabble (Part 2)............................................................................................................................................................................ 33

Hued ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
Zeta........................................................................................................................................................................................ 38
Airy ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 45
Fade ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 60
Mean...................................................................................................................................................................................... 62
Vote ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 63

Scrabble (part 3) ............................................................................................................................................................................ 65

Ti ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 67
jerrid ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 68
Ox.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 69
Bunn ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 70
I win ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 71
End Notes and Game play .................................................................................................................................................. 72
Definitions ............................................................................................................................................................................ 74

Dessert Around the World .......................................................................................................................................................... 78

Kabul, Afghanistan .............................................................................................................................................................. 79
Episkopi Cantonment, Akrotiri and Dhekelia.................................................................................................................. 80
Pago Pago, American Samoa............................................................................................................................................... 81
Luanda, Angola .................................................................................................................................................................... 82
 Tokyo, Japan ........................................................................................................................................................................ 83
Edinburgh, Scotland ............................................................................................................................................................ 84
Grytviken, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands............................................................................................ 85

St. John of God ............................................................................................................................................................................. 87

The Best Rice Pudding Recipe In The Whole World ............................................................................................................... 92

Chef-d'oeuvre
chef-d'oeuvre:

PRONUNCIATION:
(shay-DOO-vruh)

MEANING:
noun: A masterpiece.

ETYMOLOGY:
From French chef-d'oeuvre (masterpiece)
from chef (chief) + oeuvre (work)
 Thanksgiving introduction

Hello and thank you for coming to this year’s Thanksgiving poem menu! We are honoring David Shapiro with a

truly experimental dinner, a meal made up of different courses of dessert items. This may sound weird, but as

this is set up, it would act very nicely as a full meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting this

together.

To work with Mr. Shapiro in mind is a real pleasure. He is so influential to everything I seem to understand /

admire / embody as art, it is hard to extricate what it is in my memories of what comes from him and what flows

through him. Like one wondering if the fun from a cherry comes from the red color or the unique taste. And it

was this quick, poorly developed metaphor that toddled it's way on towards the notion to have a full seven-

course meal consisting solely of dessert. I have never had the occasion to do such a thing, a full dinner of dessert,

as there is little call for it. This is exactly why this is perfect for David Shapiro. I am a trained chef and I have the

ability to prepare this meal but I do have to say that if he came to my home, I would, of course, cook him a fine

meal of vegetables and other common comestibles. But for poetry, a paper plate, and a paper soup, why not?

There is a wonderful story that David once played violin for John Lennon. David is an accomplished violinist

and this must have been quite the treat to play music for one who has reached the souls of so many. And it is in

this spirit that this dinner menu came about, David emailed me to ask if I would do one for him. And I can tell

you; it was a happy thing to receive that request! I love David and his poems, in that way one loves and sees
John Lennon’s body of work. In the making of this work, I went at it with the glee I can only imagine he played

his violin.

Thank you a thousand times for coming and be sure to come back next year! Hurray!

Love, Geoffrey Gatza

PS: There is a fun interview with Kent Johnson, Thanksgiving Dinner Menu 2004 Guest of Honor,
in Jacket http://jacketmagazine.com/37/iv-shapiro-d-ivb-kent.shtml
Chef-d'oeuvre
A Dinner of Dessert
 Am useé

New York State Sparkling Wine With A Gingered Chrysanthemum Flower

The Big Story

The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The
The Big The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The
The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The
The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The Sto ry The The The The The
The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The
The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The
The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The
The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The
The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The
The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The The wow
The The The The The The The The The end

11
 Appetizer

A Mixed Grill Of Sugared Papaya, Lychee And Caramel Banana

 One Game of Scrabble
Every poem is a winner

Geoffrey Gatza & Michael Kelleher

Introduction

What a way to remove the fun from a game, my partner Donna said to me about this idea. But I have been accused more
than once of being the only friend who assigns homework. With the fun of playing a game of Scrabble with Michael
Kelleher, a wonderful poet also living in Buffalo, is great, the overwhelming potential for poetry wakes me up from the
game and ideas flow into that play space.

So this is how it will play out:

o One game with Mike

o Each word I play in a turn will yield a poem title
o The poem will consist of words from the tiles I have been given
o I will gather a word list of all the potential official words the tiles provide that are actually playable in
Scrabble.
o I will construct the actual poem after the game is done, (Mike will probably win again, as I have never won
against him. He is quite good at this game. Thankfully there is no gamboling.)
o Notes and definitions of weird words are located in the end notes, so this is in English, even it appears that
it may not be 

Game of play:

Played with Michael Kelleher the week of July 8, 2010 on my iPod Touch and his iPhone 3 over the Internet through our
Facebook account version of Scrabble.

Where the words all came from:

A wonderful online scrabble aide, Win Every Game.com

http://www.wineverygame.com/wbg.php

This site provides a descrambler program on their site and will generate a list of words that are available from the tiles you
enter.

14
One Game of Scrabble

15
eagerly
Turn One - Points: 78

eagerly
regale
galere
argyle
yager
relay
regal
ragee
leger
leery
leary
layer
large
laree
lager
gyral
glary
glare
gayer
elegy
early
eagre
eagle
eager
argle
agree
agley
aglee
year
yare
rely
reel
real
rale
rage
lyre

17
leer
lear
gyre
grey
gree
gray
gley
glee
gear
gale
eyre
eyra
eyer
eger
egal
eery
eely
earl
aryl
alee
agly
ager
agee
aery
yea
yar
rye
rya
reg
ree
ray
rag
lye
ley
leg
lee
lea
lay
lar
lag
gey
gel

18
gee
gay
gar
gal
gae
eye
erg
ere
era
eel
ear
aye
are
ale
age
ye
ya
re
la
er
el
ay
ar
al
ag
ae

19
Pain
Turn Two - Points: 12

plain
pilaw

lapin
wain

wail
plan

pina
pian

pial
pawn

pawl
pain

pail
nipa

nazi
nail

lawn
lain

anil
zip

zin
zap
wiz

21
win
wap

wan
pin

pia
paw

pan
pal

nip
nil

naw
nap

lip
lin

aw
lap

awn
awl

ani
alp

ain
ail

za
pi

pa
na

li
la

22
in
aw

an
al

ai

23
Row
Turn three – Points: 14

whorl
horal
whoa

oral
howl
hora

hoar
harl
halo

awol
alow
zoa

who
wha
war

row
rho
raw

rah
owl
ora

oar
low
law

lar
how

24
haw

hao
azo
awl

za
wo
ow

or
oh
lo

la
ho
ha

aw
ar
al

ah

25
Whaler
Turn four – Points: 14

whaler thaler sharer retral

rehear realer rather rasher
rarely railer parrel lather
lasher larker larger larder

irreal hurler herbal herald

hearer healer hauler harper
harmer harder halter
haleru halers hailer carrel

barrel ashler archer yarer

wheal whale waler velar
ureal urare terra tarre
taler shear sheal share

shale seral selah rural

ruler rheas reran renal
relay relax rehab regal
rebar rears rearm reals

realm reach razer rawer

raver ravel rathe rater
ratel raser rares rarer
rared raphe raper ralph

rales raker racer pearl

parle parer paler lurer
lehua lehrs leash leary
lears learn leach layer

laxer laver lathe later

laser large lares laree
larch lamer laker lahar

26
lager lader lacer horal

hirer hilar herry herma

herls hemal heart hears
heard heals hazer hazel
hayer haver hater harry

harls hares harem hared

haole halve hales haler
haled glare gerah flare
feral farle farer earth

early earls drear darer

clear chela charr chare
carle carer blear blare
barre barer baler artel

armer arles ariel argle

areal alter almeh alert
aleph alder airer abler
zeal year yeah yare

wear weal ware wale

vera vela veal vale
urea thae tela tear
teal tare tale tahr

tael shea sera sear

seal sale rule ruer
role roar rile riel
rial rhea resh rely

reel rear reap ream

real read raze rave
rath rate rash rase
rare rape rale rake

rail rage race plea

pear peal parr pare
pale orra orle oral
olea near merl meal

27
marl mare male lyre
lure lore lire lira
lier liar leva lehr
leer lech leas lear

leap lean leal leak

leaf lead laze lave
lath late lash lase
lars lark lari lard

lane lame lakh lake

lair lade lace kale
jarl ilea hyla hurl
hula hora hole hoer

hoar hire hila hers

hero hern herm herl
here herd herb help
helo helm hell held

heir heil heel heat

hear heap heal head
haze have haul hate
hart harp harm harl

hark hare hard hame

halt halo halm hall
half hale hake hair
hail haet haes haen

haem haed hade haar

gear gale frae flea
fear feal farl fare
eyra errs eras epha

elhi elan egal eath

ears earn earl each
dhal dear deal dare
dale dahl char carr

carl care brae blah

blae bear bare bale

28
axle axel aver aryl
arse aril ares area

arch aper aloe alme

ales alef alee alec
alar alae ahem ager
aery aero acre ache

able yeh yea yar

yah wha war wae
var the tel tea
tar tae she sha

ser sel sea sal

sae rye rya rue
roe ria rho rex
rev ret res rep

rem rei reg ref

ree red rec reb
ray rax raw rat
ras rap ran ram

raj rah rag rad

per peh pea par
pal pah ore ora
ole oar nah nae

mel mar mae lye

lie lez ley lex
lev leu let lek
lei leg lee led

lea lay lax law

lav lat las lar
lap lam lag lad
lac lab kea kae

jar ire hue hoe

hie hey hex hew
het hes her hep
hen hem heh hay

29
haw hat has hap
hao ham haj hah
hag hae had gel
gar gal gae fer

feh far eth eta

ers err ern erg
ere era els elm
ell elk elf eld

eel edh eau eat

ear del dal dah
cel car brr bra
bel bar bal bah

aye axe awl awe

ave ate ash art
ars arm ark arf
are arc arb ape

ane alt als alp

all ale alb ala
air ail ahi aha
age ace aal aah

za ye ya we
uh ta sh re
pe pa or oh
oe ne na me

ma lo li la
ka ho hm
hi he ha fe
fa ex et es

er en em el
eh ef ed de
be ba ay ax
aw at as ar

an am al ai

30
ah ag ae ad
ab aa

31
 Soup

Deep Chocolate And Tarragon Soup With Frothed Coffee Cream And Hazelnuts
 Scrabble (Part 2)

In the same way the peacock's tail evolved into a flamboyantly useless appendage, words
have had to resort to ludicrous contortions to stand out. Inspired by the movement of
candlelight, Stopoped is an amalgam of words, supposedly from the "ignore them, they're
just trying to get attention" school of poetry. So far we're just not sure if this is a comedy, a
tragedy or some surreal, hallucinogenic fairy tale, neverumind

just eat them.

33
Hued
Turn five - Points 16

tythed kythed deathy zesty wyted

tythe tyred typed tyned toyed

thyme thewy teddy techy styed

kythe hyped hertz hefty hedgy

heady hazed hayed hated ethyl

doeth ditzy depth deity death

zyme zeta zest zeds yodh

yett yeti yeld yech yeah

wyte whey whet tyre type

tyne tyke tyes tyer tyee

trey toed tody tied tidy

tide thud they thew then

them thee thae teth tend

teed teds stye stey shed

oyez ohed myth meth kyte

khet hyte hype hued hoed

34
hied hide hets heth hest

herd hent held heft heed

heat head hazy haze hate

haet haed hade eyed eths

etch emyd edit edhs edgy

eddy eath dyne dyke dyes

dyer dyed duty duet dozy

doze doty doth dote ditz

dite diet deys dexy dewy

deny dent demy defy deft

deet debt daze date chez

byte beth adze zit zek

zee zed yod yid yew

yet yes yep yen yeh

yea yah wye why wet

wed vet ute tye try

toy toe tod tie thy

tho the tew tet ten

tel teg tee ted tea

35
tae tad sty shy she

set rye ret red pye

pht pet peh ped ode

nth net met med lye

lez ley let led key

jet hyp hut hue hoy

hot hoe hod hit hie

hid hey hex hew het

hes her hep hen hem

heh hay hat hae had

gey get ged fez fey

fet feh fed eye eth

eta end eld eft edh

eat dye duh due dry

dot doe dit die dey

dex dew dev den del

def dee deb day dah

bye bey bet bed aye

ate adz za yo ye

ya we ut uh to

36
ti ta sh re pe

oy oh oe od ne

my me it id ho

hm hi he ha fe

ex et es er en

em el eh ef ed

do de by be ay

at ah ae ad

37
Zeta
Turn Six - Points 38

zygote zonate zealot

teapoy azotes azoted

zooty zoeas zoeal

zoeae zloty zlote

zetas zesty yenta

yeast toyer toyed

topaz toney tokay

togae today toady

tepoy teary tazze

stoae peaty ovate

orate oater oaten

motey meaty matzo

matey etyma cozey

azoth azote azole

atopy atony atone

atomy adoze zyme

zone zoea zeta

zest zero zeal

zany yowe yore

yoke yoga yett

yeti yeas year

yean yeah yare

wyte vote veto

tzar tyro tyre

38
typo type tyne
tyke tyes tyer

tyee twae troy

trey tray toys

toyo towy tote

tory tore tora

tope tony tone

tome tole tola

toke toga toes

toed toea tody

toby toad they

thae tepa tela

teat teas tear

team teal teak

tate taro tare

tape taos tame

tale take tael

taco tace stye

stoa stey stay

soya seta seat

sate ryot rote

rota raze rato

rate poet peat

paty pate oyez

oyes oyer oozy

ooze olea okay

ofay odea obey

oats oath oast

39
oaky note nota
neat mote moat

meta meat mazy

maze mayo mate

lota lazy laze

late kyte kyat

keto kayo jota

joey jato iota

hyte hoya heat

hazy haze hate

haet goat geta

gaze gate fozy

feta feat faze

fate eyra eyas

etna etas eats

eath easy east

dozy doze doty

dote doat daze

dato date cozy

cote coat cate

byte bota boat

beta beat bate

azon ayes auto

atop atom ates

arty ante alto

aloe ahoy aery

aero aeon adze

abye abet zoo

40
zoa zit zek
zee zed zax

zas zap zag

yow you yon

yom yok yod

yob yew yet

yes yep yen

yeh yea yay

yaw yar yap

yam yak yah

wye wot woe

wet way wat

wae voe vet

vat ute uta

tye two twa

try toy tow

tot tor top

too ton tom

tog toe tod

tie thy tho

the tew tet

ten tel teg

tee ted tea tax taw tav

tau tat tas tar tap tao

tan tam taj tag tae tad

tab sty soy sot set sea

41
say sat sae rye rya rot

roe ret ray rat qat pye

pya pot pet pea pay pat

oxy owe ova out ose ort

ore ora opt ope oot one

ole oke oka oft oes ode

oca obe oba oat oar oak

oaf not net nay nae mot

moa met may mat mae lye

lot lez ley let lea lay

lat koa key kea kay kat

kae joy jot joe jet jay

hoy hot hoe hey het hay

hat hao hae goy got goa

gey get gay gat gae foy

foe fez fey fet fay fat

eye eth eta era eon ego

eft eau eat ear dye dot

doe dey day coz coy cot

cay cat bye boy bot boa

bey bet bay bat azo ays

42
aye axe awe avo ave att

ate art are apt ape any

ant ane alt ale ait ago

age aft adz ado act ace

aby abo za yo ye ya

wo we ut to ti ta

so re pe pa oy ox

ow os or op on om

oi oh of oe od no

ne na my mo me ma

lo la ka jo it ho

he ha go fe fa ex

et es er en em el

eh ef ed do de by

bo be ba ay ax aw

at as ar an am al

ai ah ag ae ad ab

aa

43
Airy
Turn Seven - Points 12

ratify
notify
floaty
aliyot
wifty
tokay
toffy

today
toady
tafia
taffy
stoai
softy
softa

ratio
patio
ostia
ofays
nifty
motif
lofty

laity
iotas
forty
foray
footy
folia
foist

foamy
flota
float
fitly

45
 fifty
fiats
fatty

fatso
fatly
faith
fairy
faint
fagot
coati

biota
atopy
atony
atomy
amity
aloft
afrit

afoot
yoni
yogi
yoga
yeti
yagi
yaff

wait
waif
waft
vita
tyro
typo
tufa

troy
trio
tray
toys
toyo
towy

46
 tory

tori
tora
topi
tony
tola
toit
toil

toga
tofu
toft
toff
toea
tody
toby

toad
tivy
tiro
tiny
tiff
tidy
thio

taxi
taro
taos
tali
tain
tail
taco

stoa
stay
soya
soft
sofa
sift
sati

47
ryot
roti
rota
riot
rift
rato
raft

pity
pita
paty
otic
omit
okay
oily

ohia
ofay
obit
obia
oats
oath
oast

oaky
oafs
nota
naoi
naif
moat
mity

mayo
loti
lota
loft
loaf
lift
lati

kyat
kayo

48
 kaif
jota
jiao
jato
iota

into
info
ikat
iffy
hoya
haft
goat

gift
gait
frit
fray
frat
fozy
foys

foxy
fort
fora
foot
font
foin
foil

fogy
foci
foam
foal
flit
flay
flat

fixt
fits
fist

49
fino
filo
fila
fido

fico
fiat
fiar
feta
feat
fays
fats

fate
fast
fart
faro
fano
fair
fain

fail
fado
fact
doty
doit
doat
dita

dato
daft
coif
coft
coat
city
ciao

bota
boat
bait
ayin
auto

50
 atop
atom

arty
anti
alto
alit
alif
aits
airy

airt
ahoy
agio
adit
zoa
zit
yow

you
yon
yom
yok
yod
yob
yip

yin
yid
yet
yea
yay
yaw
yar

yap
yam
yak
yah
wot
wit
way

51
wat
via
vat
uta
tye
two
twa

tui
try
toy
tow
tot
tor
top

too
ton
tom
tog
toe
tod
tit

tis
tip
tin
til
tie
tic
thy

tho
tea
tax
taw
tav
tau
tat

tas

52
 tar
tap
tao
tan
tam
taj

tag
tae
tad
tab
sty
soy
sot

sit
say
sat
rya
rot
rif
ria

ray
rat
qat
pya
pot
poi
pit

pia
pay
pat
oxy
ova
out
ort

ora
opt
oot

53
oka
oil
oft
off

oca
obi
oba
oat
oar
oak
oaf

not
nit
nay
mot
moa
may
mat

lot
lit
lay
lat
koi
koa
kit

kif
kay
kat
kaf

joy
jot
jay
ivy
its
ion
ifs

54
iff
icy
hoy
hot
hit
hay
hat

hao
goy
got
goa
git
gay
gat

fry
fro
foy
fox
fou
for
fop

fon
foh
fog
foe
fob
fly
fiz

fix
fit
fir
fin
fil
fig
fie

fid
fib

55
 fey
fet
fay
fax
fat

fas
far
fan
fag
fad
eta
eft

eat
dot
dit
dif
day
coy
cot

cay
cat
boy

bot
boa
bit
bio

bay
bat
azo
ays
aye
avo
att

ate
art
arf

56
apt
any
ant
ani

ami
alt
ait
ais
air
ain
aim

ail
aid
ahi
ago
aft
aff
ado

act
aby
abo
za
yo
ye
ya

xi
wo
ut
to
ti
ta
so

si
qi
pi
pa
oy

57
 ox
ow

os
or
op
on
om
oi
oh

of
oe
od
no
na
my
mo

mi
ma
lo
li
la
ki
ka

jo
it
is
in
if
id
ho

hi
ha
go
fe
fa
et
ef

58
do
by
bo
bi
ba
ay
ax

aw
at
as
ar
an
am
al

ai
ah
ag
ae
ad
ab
aa

59
Fade
Turn Eight - Points 16

tome toea
team tame
mote moat
meta meat

mate foam feta feat

fate fame atom atma

tom toe
tea tao
tam tae
oft oat

oaf mot moa met

mat mae foe fet

fem fat
eta emf
eft eat
ate ama

aft to ta om
of oe mo me

ma fe
fa et
em ef

60
at am

ae aa

61
Mean
Turn Nine – Points:9

Ovate vote veto

Tome toea team
Tame move mote

Moat meta meat

Mate jota jato
Atom voe vet

Vat tom toe

Tea tav tao
Tam taj tae

Ova oat mot

Moa met mat
Mae jot joe

Jet jam eta

Eat avo ave
Ate to ta

Om oe mo
Me ma jo
Et em at
am
ae

62
Vote
Turn Ten – Points: 33

outvie
vote
veto
jute
jive
etui
voe
vie
vet
ute

tui
toe
tie
out
jut
jot
joe
jeu
jet
ut

to
ti
oi
oe
jo
it
et

63
 Pièces M ontées

Chocolate Sculpture Of A Stuffed Turkey With Marshmallow Stuffing

Scrabble (part 3)

65
Ti
Turn Eleven – Points: 9

tui
rut
jut
ut
ti
it

67
jerrid
Turn Twelve – Points: 23

ruer
rue
rei
jeu

ire
err
re
er

68
Ox
Turn Thirteen – Points: 34

bund
nub
dun
dub

cud
cub
bun
bud

xu
un
nu

69
Bunn
Turn Fourteen – Points: 12

bund
nub
dun

dub
cud
cub
bun

bud
un
nu

70
I win
Turn Fifteen – end of game and remaining tiles form only one word:

cud

71
End Notes and Game play

The action of the game:

Game of play Word Points total

Geoffrey: Eagerly 78 78
Michael: Deadly 22 22

Geoffrey: Pain 12 90
Michael: Goonies 20 42

Geoffrey: Row 14 104

Michael: Waft 18 60

Geoffrey: Whaler 14 118

Michael: Bucks 37 97

Geoffrey: Hued 16 134

Michael: Ai 16 113

Geoffrey: Zeta 38 172

Michael: Tier 16 113

Geoffrey: Airy 12 184

Michael: Yon 18 151

Geoffrey: Fade 16 200

Michael: Van 24 175

Geoffrey: Mean 12 209

Michael: Louting 64 239

Geoffrey: Vote 33 242

Michael: Mop 28 267

72
Geoffrey: Ti 11 253
Michael: Rob 11 278

Geoffrey: Jerrid 23 276

Michael: Stern 18 296

Geoffrey: Ox 34 310
Michael: Qis 12 308

Geoffrey: Bunn 12 322

Michael: xxxx 12 320

Michael cleared his rack leaving Geoffrey with the letters: U C D

Penalties and bonuses: -6 to each player

Final score:

Geoffrey: 316
Michael: 314

73
Definitions and fun scrabble words
Words with no consonants

Aa
Ae
Ai
Oe
Eau

Words with "Q" without "U" following it

Qi
Qat
Qis
Suq
Suqs
Qoph
Qats
Qadi
Qaid
Umiaq
Tranq
Qophs
Qanat
Qadis
Qaids
Faqir
Umiaqs
Tranqs
Sheqel
Qwerty
Qiviut
Qintar
Qindar
Qanats
Faqirs
Buqsha
Qwertys
Qiviuts
Qintars
Qindars
Buqshas
Sheqalim
Qindarka

74
Words without vowels or "Y"

HMintj. expressing thought (hmm)

MMintj. expressing satisfaction
SHintj. used to urge silence (shh)
BRR intj. used to indicate coldness (brrr)
CWM circular basin with steep walls (cirque)
HMM intj. expressing thought
NTH pert. to item number n PHT
intj. expressing mild anger or annoyance
SHH intj. used to urge silence (sh)
TSK to utter a scolding exclamation
BRRRintj. used to indicate coldness
CWMS[cwm] (circular basin with steep walls)
PFFTintj. expressing an abrupt ending
PSSTintj. used to attract someone's attention
TSKS[tsk] (to utter a scolding exclamation)
CRWTH ancient stringed musical instrument
PHPHT intj. expressing mild anger or annoyance (pht)
CRWTHS[crwth] (ancient stringed musical instrument)
TSKTSKto utter a scolding exclamation (tsk)
TSKTSKS [tsktsk] (to utter a scolding exclamation)

75
Words with two letters
AA - rough, cindery lava
AB - abdominal muscle
AD - advertisement
AE - one
AG - pertaining to agriculture
AH - expresses delight
AI - three-toed sloth
AL - an East Indian tree
AM - form of "to be"
AN - indefinite article
AR - the letter "R"
AS - to the same degree
AT - in the position of
AW - expresses protest
AX - cutting tool
AY - affirmative vote
BA - (Egyptian) eternal soul
BE - to have actuality
BI - a bisexual
BO - a pal
BY - a side issue
DE - of; from - used in names
DO - a tone of the scale
ED - pertaining to education
EF - the letter "F"
EH - expresses doubt
EL - elevated railroad
EM - the letter "M"
EN - the letter "N"
ER - expresses hesitation
ES - the letter "S"
ET - a past tense of eat
KI - inner strength, life energy
EX - the letter "X"
FA - a tone of the scale
GO - to move along
HA - sound of surprise
HE - male person
HI - used as a greeting
HM - expresses consideration
HO - expresses surprise
ID - part of the psyche
IF - a possibility
IN - to harvest
IS - form of "to be"
IT - neuter pronoun
JO - sweetheart
KA - (Egyptian) spiritual self
LA - tone of the scale
LI - Chinese unit of distance
LO - expresses surprise
MA - mother
ME - personal pronoun
MI - tone of the scale
MM - expresses assent
MO - a moment
MU - a Greek letter
MY - possessive pronoun
NA - no; not
NE - born with the name of
NO - a negative reply
NU - a Greek letter
OD - a hypothetical force
OE - Faeroe Islands whirlwind
OF - coming from
QI - circulating life energy
76
OH - to exclaim in surprise
OM - a mantra
ON - batsman's side of wicket
OP - a style of abstract art
OR - the heraldic color gold
OS - a bone
OW - expresses pain
OX - a clumsy person
OY - expresses dismay
PA - father
PE - a Hebrew letter
PI - a Greek letter
RE - a tone of the scale
SH - urges silence
SI - ti (a tone of the scale)
SO - sol (a tone of the scale)
TA - expression of gratitude
TI - a tone of the scale
TO - in the direction of
UH - expresses hesitation
UM - indicates hesitation
UN - one
UP - to raise
US - personal pronoun
UT - musical tone (is now DO)
WE - pronoun
WO - woe
XI - a Greek letter
XU - monetary unit of Vietnam
YA - you
YE - you
YO - used to call attention
ZA - Slang word for Pizza
 D esserts From Around The W orld

Sour Cherry, Vanilla, Fig, Almond And Walnut Glyka

Firnee With Pistachios And Flavored With Cardamom.
Coconut Puff Cookies
Coconut Pudding Flavored With Clove And Ground Excellence
Scottish Black Bun
Mango, Banana, Strawberry, Sweet Potato, And Chestnut Mochi
Canned Peaches
 A selection from:
Dessert Around the World
Having dessert in the capitals of the world

One person’s history is the history of the entire human race

—Nishiwaki Junzaburo
From Sorcery in the Vegetable Garden
Translated by Hosea Hirata

78
Kabul, Afghanistan

Dessert is usually a Sunday affair at my home, she said while sipping a milky tea. I told her I understood poverty.
She waved a hand brushing away the words I was saying. Oh, no, it had nothing to do with money. It was my
mother, she believed that something tastes better if you wait for them. All week long we waited in great anticipation
for our dessert. Secretly my brother and I believed that our mother did not like to cook very much. I thought it was
a lovely idea even if it was an excuse.

She told me that she keeps this tradition of waiting for foods as a part of her life. Each year on her birthday she eats
a large bowl of Firnee which is thick custard with pistachios and flavored with cardamom.

All year she thinks of her custard and on her day, she indulges. Nothing can compare to eating your favorite dish,
especially after thinking about it for a whole year. I told her, that in my home we go to the store and buy a cake for
birthdays. She said nothing, only slurped her tea very loudly.

79
Episkopi Cantonment, Akrotiri and Dhekelia

It was mid-afternoon and I was walking down a tiny cobblestone alley. I saw an English Army officer having a lonely
cup of demitasse. He was seated in a small, family run café. He politely offered me a seat and ordered us a pot of
coffee. We talked for a while and I felt comfortable enough to make a little joke, I told him that my mother was an
English major too.

It’s a good thing to be, he giggle, education is as important as the military. Now try one of these. He handed me a
spoonful of a thick orange jam. It’s called glyka tou koutaliou, which translates to mean, spoon sweets; it is fruit
preserved in sugar. It's very nice but very sweet. I took a small taste and felt very warm inside. It was a bright sweet
orange flavor but also a twinge of bitter from the thinly sliced peel. He told me they are made from almost any fruit,
although sour and bitter fruits are remarkably favored.

We ordered several kinds, and after he introduced me to each one, he celebrated each taste by raising the spoon and
toasting, here is another brick in the wall of your education. We tried the sour cherry, vanilla, fig, and almond. My
favorite was the walnut glyka; which brought back a memory of my grandmother’s pantry, it always smelled of
cedar and somehow this taste brought me back to that room. The flavors were many and varied, they even had one
of baby eggplants, which I tried but didn’t care for all that much. My English friend said that it was all right to not
like the taste of something; education makes you taller just by experiencing.

80
Pago Pago, American Samoa

I have been told that one has to earn those golden moments in life. And my stay in Pago Pago proved this to be true.
I toured the vibrant communities, tuna canneries and a national park with the family I had been staying with. We
climbed to the summit of a lush green mountain, called Mt. Alava. It was difficult to not admire the glorious views
of this blue pacific harbor and it’s tropical town.

The five of us picnicked on a dramatic cliff, laying out a red gingham cloth and taking in the salty, floral afternoon
air. As we cleaned up our picnic, we ate some coconut puff cookies called Keke Faasaina, which are lightly crispy on
the outside and very soft on the inside. It was like eating a sweet down pillow. The father asked me if I was happy as
he poured me a cup of ice cold coffee. I told him that I was super happy, and smiled, popping another cookie into
my mouth. He looked to his son, then down, then back to his wife who was packing up our picnic basket.

He asked me sheepishly what it was that I meant by supper happy? I was about to explain that it was only silly
expression stated in poor English, when his son jumped up with his arm in the air. He said it was happiness with a
red flowing cape on it! We all laughed and had more cookies and began our long journey down the mountain.

81
Luanda, Angola

On the bus to Luanda, I was seated next to a very nice man. He was on his way home, which is always a good feeling.
However, this journey involved an even brighter feeling, he was on his way home to meet his mother, father and
three sisters after a very long time away. He was in prison for a crime that would not be considered a crime in my
homeland.

Some things just taste like home, and that taste is the taste of freedom. Freedom is a funny thing, he said, but an
even odder thing was the way the prison cook prepared cocada amarela. Apparently there are many ways to prepare
this dessert and his mother made it best. Cocada amarela is a thick coconut pudding flavored with clove and ground
excellence. It is very sweet and rather heavy but my friend told me he would, at the proper moment, after reuniting
hugs, eat a barrowful of his mother’s pudding.

82
Tokyo, Japan

I met a writer friend of mine in Tokyo; he had come from Kyoto just for this meeting. It was very exciting, as we had
never met face to face. We had talked for years over email, and now we could finally sit and talk over tea. He showed
me many shops where they serve delightful foods, but we kept on walking. I know a place I want you to see, he said
curling his fingers forward.

We toured most of Tokyo before finding a confectioner who served Wagashi. They are the size of a chocolate, a
one-bite treat. Wagashi are made from mochi, which is a rice cake that has been kneaded into a paste. They are
artfully sculpted into tiny fruit shapes and have lots of different flavors. Some are fruit flavors like mango, banana,
strawberry, sweet potato, and chestnuts. The one I like best was pickled cherry leaf.

We sat eating and enjoying ourselves over tea when I asked him how he knew I would like wagashi. He told me
plainly, fortune favors the prepared mind.

83
Edinburgh, Scotland

I was in a delightful pub near the Firth of Forth, which was a bit down from the city proper where I got talking with
a group of locals. One man said that Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote, Edinburgh is what Paris ought to be. But a
woman in the corner near a warming fire lovingly referred to Edinburgh as Auld Reekie. I found out this is Scots for
Old Smelly, which was still kept in circulation from the times they heated their homes with wooden and coal fires.
There is nothing more comfortable than a fire and something sweet to nibble.

After telling them of my journeys and the desserts I had tried, they all said I needed to try Scottish Black Bun.
Normally this is served on Hogmanay, which is Scots for New Year's Eve. However, Black Bun is enjoyed all year
round. They were rather insistent, which made me a bit fearful for what it might be. I was afraid it might be a pig’s
eye pudding, or worse. After a bit more encouragement, I began to think better of it, or rather a bit more
adventurously. So they brought out a large pastry that was topped with fancy roses made out of the flaky crust.
Inside it held a tight mix of raisins, currants, almonds and it smelled of cinnamon, all spice and brandy. I was very
excited, as the cold dark evening needed something bracing like this black bun.

I cut into a slice when the man with the Stevenson quote came around. He said, you’d recall that the poet Robert
Burns once said, then he stopped, scratched his head and looked far away as if searching for something deep within
his head. He began; it goes like this, something, something, something row, something, something, something in tow,
or words to that effect. I smiled and was thankful for the information. But the old woman near the fire got up and
shooed him away with a broom, saying, no one wants to be bothered by the poet Burns while they are having their
buns. She looked at me with a loving eye and touched my cheek, now eat up, there’s a good lad. And went back to
her fire and began to knit.

84
Grytviken, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

I hired a fishing boat to take me to Grytviken. The captain of the ship was very nice, an older Russian man with a
salt and pepper beard. He asked me why I was going to these islands. He scratched his beard and said hesitantly, you
do know that there are no permanent inhabitants on the islands and almost everything is shuttered. I started, what
do you mean? I asked. He calmed me down easily and told me I would find some accommodations, but why would I
go there this time of the year? Did I want to see the explorer Ernest Shackleton’s grave? I told him I hoped to visit
the museum, have dinner and maybe find out if there was anything special for dessert. He giggled, pointing to my
belly, maybe you should be not so worried for your dessert. We both laughed. Travel around the world takes its toll.

After we both came to the conclusion that his wise suggestion of, maybe I should want to go home, was the proper
course of action. I ate dinner with the crew. We had boiled salt potatoes with crab and corn. For dessert the captain
opened a can of peaches. He motioned with a wave of his hand, seeking my approval. My favorite I said, a real peach
of a peach. No he said, smiling, a real Georgia peach. The crew laughed for a few minutes over the very bad pun. We
drank black tea and sailed into the night, endeavoring back to my home.

85
Cheese, Port & Exotic N uts
St. John of God
Patron saint of booksellers
Goes to AWP
For Bernie Rhodenbarr
The animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and
complete, gifted with extension of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are
not brethren; they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow
prisoners of the splendor and travail of the earth.

–Henry Beston, naturalist and author (1888-1968)

o He was all Dr. Jeckle / Paulie Shore

Conjure up the classic image of a humanities or social sciences professor, the fields where the imbalance is greatest:
tweed jacket, pipe, nerdy, longwinded, secular and liberal. Even though that may be an outdated stereotype, it
influences younger people's ideas about what they want to be when they grow up.

o Winterception
he's been an absolute tiger
Thick as thieves they
quest to tame the restive region

87
o The democracy manqué
self-harm
meticulous
the art form that shapes the world
exuberance

o Cannibal cookies
Not too distant horizon
What do you want? I wanted so many things I couldn’t respond
Let me have a look at you.
Look noble and refined
Those that look bereft and in need, seldom receive it

o Cinnamon Acetaminophen
He has proved to be a broken reed

o I’m too lazy to be a transvestite

A thing in nature without a flaw is in itself a flaw. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; and I behold something
beautiful, my boy.

88
o A true friend fact checks
embrace of midnight debauchery
sheer malarkey
raucous
escapements
dour and repressed

o Preposterous Prepositions
Great ideas take time, effort, and perseverance. There are countless dead ends and failures along the way

o Ray Federman is no Dominic Dunne

but also to live, as patisseries do, absorbed in the repetitive, ritualized, and seemingly timeless practices of their art.

monkish or self-sacrificing

o I don’t know what you do with your head

dignified moderation and temporal respect
forget the travails and bad

she could no longer countenance being a member

in that multi-modal and multilayered bungalow

plummeted

89
o Thought Violence
I’d rather speak to the cat

Perspicacity – synonyms: acumen, sagacity, discernment, shrewdness, insight, penetration, acuteness, and
clairvoyance. Someone who is perspicacious notices, realizes, and understands things quickly.

It was all piffle

imbroglio
implacable / implacably
often thought of as difficult, remote and unattractive

o Fourive / Fourevif
to a considerable extent or degree.
completely, wholly, or entirely.
actually, really, or truly.

Kill two birds with one cat

o I, egg, lightly beaten

He is so old school it's almost endearing. He's been making poetry for nearly 40 years and continues to make them
just as he pleases, even if that means he's completely out of step with a younger, more unruly generation.

90
 D essert

The Best Rice Pudding In The World

The Best Rice Pudding Recipe In The Whole World
Well OK, it is good, and very well may be the very best recipe in the whole world. But it may not be, I am not sure. I did eat a great deal of
rice pudding on my journey. And if I am right, each place had some kind of rice pudding. It might be because rice is widely used all around
the globe. Or it might be just because it is really, really good.

2 cups Coconut milk

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup long grain white rice
1 vanilla bean
1 Teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar

2 eggs
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
½ Teaspoon cardamom
½ cup sultanas
½ cup pistachios

Place the rice in a large mixing bowl and wash the rice under cold rice. This will wash off some of the starch of the rice allowing the
pudding to be a creamer texture. Put the rice, sugar, coconut milk, cream and salt in a heavy-bottomed pot. Cut a lengthwise slit down the
vanilla bean to open up the insides and add to the pot and bring to boil. Reduce the flame let the rice cook for 20 minutes, making sure to
stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl until it is light, fluffy and a light lemon color. Add a cup of the rice mix to the eggs to temper them. Then
add the eggs to the creamy rice and whip vigorously so the eggs will not scramble. Cook on a low flame for five more minutes. Add the
spices, pistachios, and sultanas. Serve in a dessert bowl with a dollop of whipped cream.

92
Geoffrey Gatza is the editor and Publisher of BlazeVOX [books]
and the author of eight books of poetry; Secrets of my Prison
House will be out in the Fall of 2010. Kenmore: Poem Unlimited
and Not So Fast Robespierre are now available from Menendez
Publishing. HouseCat Kung Fu: Strange Poems for Wild Children
is also available from Meritage Press. He lives in Buffalo, NY with
his girlfriend and two cats.

http://www.geoffreygatza.com/
http://www.blazevox.org