These days, I try to stay away from social media. I really am looking for some way to break from Instagram. I haven’t made that move yet . . . because I have filled my feed (the part I can control, that is) with artists and poets and thinkers and, yes, baby animals that bring me joy.

As I was traveling home earlier this week, I opened up Instagram on my phone . . . y’know, to fight the boredom and tedium of sitting in the airport . . . and I found today’s poem in my feed. It’s by a young poet I’m not familiar with – Jillian Stacia, and the poem struck me as particularly perfect for . . . well. These days. So I decided to share it with you all today, on this 3rd-Thursday-gathering-of-poetry kind of day. I hope you enjoy this juxtaposition as much as I did, sitting at my gate at Heathrow.

While the World Falls Apart, I Watch Great British Bakeoff in Bed
by Jillian Stacia

Because when a President sheds his skin,
becomes a King,
the pastry is still flaked to perfection
and the snap of the biscuits
is like the break of a neck only
cleaner
     calmer
          certainly more delicious.

The government might ban diversity,
but the grandmother on Bake Off
is helping the gay man mix his marzipan
and that’s not nothing.

I want to douse my life in orange zest
and rosewater, the perfect ratio
of flavors to drown out
this ravenous world.

I want pearl piping,
                   springy sponge &
                             murderous meringue.

Give me a handshake, Paul Hollywood.
America is like bad bread —
dense in the middle
and more than a little
under-proved.

I hate to be impolite, but even Pru
would find this country overpowering.
If this was a Technincal Challenge,
we’d come in last.

Our democracy has become inedible,
our freedoms burned to a crisp.
Capitalism is our Signature Dish —
the whole thing is just a little too sharp
for my liking.
I’m afraid we’ve run out of time.

Get me back to bed —
dissociation works best
when it’s perfectly baked.

This poem was posted to Instagram by the poet, Jillian Stacia, on February 26, 2025. I found this Substack interview with Jillian while doing some googling, should you want to learn more about her work, her process, and her life.

Enjoy your day, everyone.
Indulge in a lovely treat, why don’t you?

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You can find A Gathering of Poetry every month . . . on the third Thursday.
Share some.
Read some.
Gather up some poetry!

(Bonny is hosting a special link-up for A Gathering of Poetry. Be sure to check it out!)