The Hippo
It was only a matter of time
Before I wrote a poem about a taco
It happened after going to Linda's on Guadalupe Street
I opened the menu and perused the taco list
The usual suspects were all there
Bean and cheese
Potato and egg
Chorizo con huevo
Papa ranchera
And so on
And so forth
Until I reached the most profound depth of the list
And there it was
There I saw it
The words glowed on the page as a choir of angels sang a perfect note
Laaaaaaaaaa
beans,
bacon,
country sausage,
chorizo,
cheese
All in one taco
This was it
This was the ultimate
This was the apex
This was el supremo taco
The taco to end all tacos
The taco to end all discussions about tacos
The taco to end any aspiration I ever had of healthy living
The Hippo
So named, in my estimation,
Because "pig" wouldn't do it justice
A larger, jollier mammal was called in
to represent
I was compelled
I was self-dared
I was Francis McComber on safari
Facing death from his prey
Served to him by a woman
Who thought she knew what was good for him
Like the wildlife photographer
I snapped a picture of the specimen
And posted it for the world to see
The commentary and advice poured in
"Wow"
"It looks like a heart attack waiting to happen"
"My arteries are clogging just looking at it"
But I dove in anyway
And was rewarded with a taco-rgasmic experience
The ingredients combined in my mouth
Enriched my palette
Enlightened my taste buds
Entered my esophagus and
Reached my stomach
In a state of euphoria
"Delicious" does not do it justice
It reminded me of being the last one at the table
After a big family breakfast
Alone with the one tortilla that made it through the morning
And a morsel from each pan on the table
So I scooped the beans
And I spooned in the chorizo
I added the three bits of sausage
And grabbed the last half-strip of bacon
Then I went to the fridge and found the shredded cheese
Before putting it in the microwave for thirty seconds
Soft tortilla
Smooth texture with hints of crunch
Cheese-chorizo-bacon grease
The effects on my health were but a small price to pay
For these mouthfuls
Of bliss
