Self-Reliance

Pots clatter and simmer, the stove’s warm embrace,

recipe whispers become a desperate chase.

Each chop of the knife feels foreign, unsure,

while a frying pan waits, its surface demure.

I stumble through steps, each move a misstep,

a dance of frustration, but no one can prep.

With takeout a ghost I refuse to invite,

this kitchen’s my canvas, my chance to ignite.