Explore the poem

You might feel hungry after reading this poem with all its references to delicious spices used in traditional Indian cooking. If you are not familiar with some of the ingredients mentioned look them up and enjoy the wonderful colours that are compared to powder paints in the poem.

The preparation of the food with her mother is clearly a joyful activity for the speaker but it also helps the poet feel connected to the land and culture of her father when she bites into a chilli.

We’ve counted ten ingredients in the poem. Think about food you love and see if you can compose your own poem which mentions some of the foods you enjoy eating. Start by making a list and then think about the taste, colours and textures of those foods.

About Moniza Alvi

Moniza Alvi was born in Pakistan. Her family moved to Hertfordshire when she was a few months old. She worked as a secondary school teacher in London before publishing her poetry. Today, she works as a freelance writer and tutor at the Poetry School, which provides poetry development programmes for adults.

Alvi has published several collections of poetry, many of them dealing with divisions and identity. She often writes about otherness and explores the boundaries between inner and outer worlds. Her poetry is written in English, but infused with words and vibrant images from her homeland.

In 1994 Alvi was included in the Poetry Society’s New Generation Poets list. In 2002 she received a Cholmondeley Award for her poetry.