1. The Shrimp
2 doz. large shrimp

We’re going to mainline you,
no salad on the side,
no rice on the side,
just you, crescents of pink flesh,
plump half moons,
just you, dressed up and ready
to be taken to bed, to be devoured,
to be enjoyed completely.
Ocean ambrosia, we are impressed
by your jumbo size and flesh.

2. The Seasonings
ground red pepper
ground black pepper
salt
crushed red pepper
thyme
rosemary
oregano

You have that flair, that je ne sais quoi.
How do you make it look so professional?
A man at the stove turns me
feminine, effusive. It occurs to me:
Men must be made to stand at stoves!
It’s the biological imperative!
All this hot stuff excites me – my feet
dance on the tiles, my arms wrap round
your flannel waist, my fingers run
down down down your denimed legs.

3. The Sauce
1 stick plus 5 TB unsalted butter
1 1/2 tspn. minced garlic
1 tspn. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup shrimp stock
1/4 cup beer, room temperature

An expert male is unbelievably sexual.
An expert female is often one who
doesn’t look like an expert. These facts
of life are hard to take, except
when your man is a gourmet chef.
All is forgiven, just give me those
juicy, buttery, spicy shrimp.
Drop them one by one down my throat
between long cool sips of bottled beer.
Ah, a chef, to have a chef, to love the chef!

4. How to Do It
Combine seasonings in small bowl.
Combine 1 stick butter, garlic,
Worcestershire, seasonings. Mix in
large skillet over high heat. When
butter is melted, add shrimp. Cook
two minutes, shaking pan. Add 5
tablespoons butter and stock.
Cook and shake pan two minutes.
Add beer. Cook and shake one
minute.

This is Louisiana food, bold, adventurous.
Makes your head sweat, your heart pound. Zydeco music – crazy accordion,
singers raging – accompanies our feasting.
Your jeans are so soft, I run my wet hands down them. Ah, a chef, to have a chef, to love the chef! Finishing your shrimp, you perform the benediction:
“Cajun food is such succulent poison.”