Sanjana Saksena Chandra
I pushed a trolley
through aisles of symmetrically stacked groceries
inviting me to pick them
to partake in the consumerism
and so I did
Into the cart
went canned and peached goodies
succulent fruits
for desserts and puddings
I'd probably never make
I added some cans of alternate milk
soy and almond and coconut from a pretty shelf
for 'vegans' their label read
'I'm not one yet 'I thought to myself
but why not try now, it's the cool new thing
This new resolve from minutes ago
meant I needed provisions
like almond flour and tofu
so I put some in and hurried along
to buy vegetables for my new dietary needs
I weighed in the potatoes
the onions, pickles and peppers
lemon and chilli, basil and thyme
all the while cooking up
a vegan storm in my head
Satisfied, I pushed the now heavy cart
to the aisle where shiny bottles called to me
with their promise of making me prettier
shampoos for longer hair and lotions for brighter skin
I put them all in
I moved slowly to the checkout queue
pleased with myself
after all I'd bought all I needed
for my new vegan experiment
and some more to look and feel good
The bags, laden with new choices sat on my kitchen table
while I stared at a fully stacked fridge
of chocolates and cheese and greek yogurt
of sauces for roasts and chicken mince for pie
signs of my decadence and gluttony
And just like that
I packed them all
in bags to be given away or thrown out
so I could indulge in a cool new fad
that I honestly new nothing about
The privilege of it didn't strike me at all
that I could indulge a whim brought on by a shiny shelf
Until I went right back to the store
and got me some meat
because I couldn't do vegan anymore
This work has been published in Beetle Magazine's July 2020 Issue
Illustration by Dhanashree Pimputkar