Eating on the cheap; Black Bean soup.

[ambitious_wench]

Understand something; This is a recipe only that it lists ingredients and methods, but is not binding. These are things I found in the cupboards and in the fridge, and there is no need to go out and buy them especially to make this soup.

Black Bean Desperation soup.

In the freezer I found a frozen ham hock,
and in the fridge I found
half a yam, uncooked
the cut end withered, and spots beginning
to reach into the ocher flesh beneath the skin.
The jumbled cupboard offered two yellow onions
one of which went directly
into the trash. It had gone bad.
Once more to the fridge;
Carrots, but alas, no celery. I need
to have a word with my roommate.
Celery seed will have to do.
Roasted garlic chicken sausage
Had thawed to softness, with flecks
of green I can only hope are herbs.

Onion diced drew tears, and carrots
chopped fine,
into small packets of butter from a plastic bag
from the back of the fridge
sauteed slowly in cast iron

Another pot was needed
black beans, a whole bag,
boiled for too long
and turned the water black.

Garlic! Half a bud, and half a bud, and one whole bud,
time to use it up. It needs eating up.
Strip the 7 cloves and drop them
whole into the onions, carrots, and yams
turning gold in butter pats.

The cupboard offered a can
of something passed off as french onion soup.
I knew better. But into the pot it went, to add
flavor. So too, the can of corn.

Another cupboard yielded up
Sesame chili oil,
warmth on a cold night.

Beans drained, added to the iron pot.
Sausages pale with those green flecks still,
but plump. Should I take them out to brown?
Later, perhaps.

Water, more water, and now a bigger pot!
Cover, simmer, salt and stir.
What a smell it's got!