Hot Bowl Time Machine

Small and delicate pasta

in a ceramic bowl

Subtle, but comforting flavour

But more...

-

Since HG Wells wrote The Time Machine

Man has been obssessed with time travel

With every decade since the books's release

There has been new theories, and ideas

About the possibility and impossibility

of breaking down the walls of time and space

The fabric of reality

Bending the laws of physics

To attain command over time

So many scientists

So many more (seemingly) intelligent than me

Have tried and failed to conquer time

Without stopping to realise

A simple, effective and inexpensive way

To enter into the unknown, to say to hell with physics

To help with the laws of reality, time, space and everything

To take a trip back in time

Sits in a bowl

A ceramic bowl with chicken stock and dainty pasta

That's all I need to travel in time

The physical part is not important

I travel in my mind, heart, and soul

My emotional self is back there

The moment that soothing aroma hits my olfactory nerves

The moment that subtle taste coats my tongue

The moment I chew and swallow

I am there

In your house, your kitchen, your dining room

I can see

Everything so clearly, so vividly

A cruel twist though

I can't touch, can't reach out and hug

There's always a cruel twist or catch

To time travel

Whether using the Delorean, TARDIS or a bowl of pastina

There are rules

You need to follow

That I need to follow

each time

I can't interact or change anything

I can only observe and experience

Then

When the bowl is empty

I'm back in the present

and you're not

But the memories

remain.

*

Thanks for reading!

Author's Note: I had this in my drafts as a potential for the Ode to Ordinary challenge, but never went through with it. I wanted to showcase how something so plain and ordinary can have such a significant impact through nostalgia and its emotional connections. And wanted to take it in a different direction than normal and bring in the sci-fi element.

My late, great Nonna used to cook humble, but amazing and tasty Italian food. One of the best things she ever made was pastina (small pasta) with chicken stock cubes. Every time I make it at home, I'm taken right back to her house. So this is inspired by her and the food.

Hope you enjoy it!

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You can also check out the rest of my work here.