The Healthy Option

The spinach salad yearns to be something more,

to not be seen as the healthy option:

what one gets instead of fries,

or to make up for the chicken parmesan.

The green mountain

covered with crasins and walnuts and vinaigrette

wants to be a comfort food,

a reason people show up to the restaurant—

a dish that starts people salivating.

It has the vitamins and colors:

reds and yellows and whites

slightly iridescent with light bouncing

off firm leaves sprinkled with dressing.

The chef’s pour out effort onto each leaf

but their care goes unappreciated;

greenery is not exciting, not titillating—

just plain and healthy.

When it’s ordered the salad is never

what the customer had their hearts and stomachs set-on—

and unfortunately the spinach salad knows this.