In the Kitchen

By Mariana Roque de Moraes

In the kitchen, where flavors come alive,

Scents overtake the air in the room.

Every recipe with a story that will forever thrive.

Spices, seasoning, and scents are packed in surprise,

That excites me like waking up to a summer day in June. 

In the kitchen, where flavors come alive.

Families unite and tales begin to arise.

The laughter scatters as people consume.

Every recipe with a story that will forever thrive.

Each dish filled with colors that revive,

Where flavors blend and begin to bloom

In the kitchen, where flavors come alive.

After all the dishes, desserts begin to arrive,

The world vanishes with each mouthful spoon.

Every recipe with a story that will forever thrive.

So let us gather and start to contrive,

New recipes that we add to presume.

In the kitchen, where flavors come alive.

Every recipe with a story that will forever thrive.

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Biography

My name is Mariana Roque de Moraes, and I am a sophomore at American Heritage. Outside of school, I love traveling around the world and learning about different cultures.

Why did you choose to submit this category(s) of artwork/writing out of the many available category options?

I chose to submit a poem (Villanelle) because I embraced both structure and creativity when writing it. The specific structure of repetition and rhyme helped to convey the overall theme about the experience of cooking.

What message do you hope to convey through your piece?

This poem emphasizes that the kitchen is more than just a place used for cooking, but instead a place where memories are made. Moreover, there is joy behind every meal and who you share it with.