Word and Question 18 -- Host's Poem

So it's a crazy month (when is December ever not??), but I am happy to announce that I have completed my December Word and Question poem by the agreed-upon date. Go me!

Lesson Learned

I made a pot of soup today -- chopped onion, sauteed meat,
Added tomatoes and some broth and set it on the heat.
I tossed a pinch of pepper in, a little bit of thyme,
Some salt, a bay leaf, lentils, rice. It really smelled sublime.
I let it simmer for a while. Supper was coming, so
I tasted it, a heaping spoon, and realized oh, no,
I'd been too heavy with the salt! How could I fix it now??
I thought of pending suppertime, and furrowed up my brow:
Would sugar help? Or vinegar? Or something bitter? Or
Something with that "umami" taste I read of once before?
Then I remembered "Oh, that's right -- throw a potato in!"
I washed and chunked one quickly, didn't bother with the skin.
I added it, then, frankly, prayed "Let this come out OK;
My family will be home soon, and they've worked hard all day.
They really need a tasty meal." And then I set the table.
Put lots of bread and butter out, in case I wasn't able
To save the soup. But when they came and I fished the potato out --
(My daughter, watching, asked me just what THAT was all about!) --
The taste was fine! The soup was great! The saltiness was gone!
(But I resolved to always undersalt things from now on...)

Word : umami
Question: What is required to renew that which was almost ruined?


There weren't many participants this month, but I'll link to their poems as they post them...

Have a Merry and Blessed Christmas!