What is a Shadorma?
Shadorma is an invented poetry form. Its origin comes from Spain. We know not a lot about how it came to be. The word Shadorma is not a Spanish word. I reckon two inebriated tourist poets sitting at a Spanish bar drinking Rioja invented the poetry form. Thatโs what I think. Isnโt it amazing how an invented form can survive, even though no one knows whence it came? Whatever its origin, I find the syllabic format fun! The syllable formula is: 3, 5, 3, 3, 7, 5. In sestet (6 lines) stanzas.
My Shadorma poem is in response to Poet of the week Sylvia Cognac W3 #31 Prompt to write a Shadorma on favourite food. These are her guidelines: โ Write a shadorma, up to seven stanzas long; - Topic: Favorite food/s to prepare and/or eat.
My favourite food is the all-time classic โeat by the seasideโ dish of fish and chips.

Fish and Chips by the Sea | Photo: Lesley Scoble
FISH AND CHIPS BY THE SEA
a shadorma
Fish and chips drooling down your lips, caressing; cod or plaice, salt and vinegar dressing; fresh wind in your face. Haddock fish (more expensive dish) mushy peas by wild seas. Sea breezes blowing inland, salt, sea-spray, and sand. Hungry gulls in gathering flocks encircle around us wanting to eat fish and chips. They wait and they watch. A woman wields her walking stick. The gull swoops; heโs too quick and steals her fish, and a chip. We find it funny. Itโs too bad! The dayโs too sunny to be cross at her loss The gull flies away up highโ Goodbye fish, goodbye! L. S. December 2022

A little bit of history
We can thank Jewish immigrant, Joseph Malin, for opening the first Chippy in 1860. The shop was in Cleveland Street, Londonโwithin the sound of Bow Bells (which makes it a good old honest Cockney Chip Shop!) It was a first (although there was a family run Chippy in Mossley, near Manchester in the North). Northerners claim that the Leeโs family shop opening three years after Joseph Malinโs was the first. I am not going into this argument between the North-South divide. I congratulate both culinary innovators. Letโs not have a chip on our shoulders about it!
Malinโs popular dish of serving fish with chips was a sensation in 1860. His shop sold the last Malin fish and chips in 1970.
Fish and chips were the only foods during the World Wars to not be rationed. The combination of fried fish and chips remains the nationโs favourite dish today. What about Curry and Chinese? Yes, they are the nationโs favourite food as well. For example, I like my chips with curry sauce!
A woman
The woman in my poem is a genuine character. An elderly couple on a bench by the harbour wall were eating fish and chips. Behind them stood a seagull, looking down at them. She brandished her stick up at it. โGo away, go away!โ
The bird had done this beforeโand was a master tactician.
โCover your fish, cover your fish!!โ she nagged her husband.
Then the gull swooped. The poor manโs dinner was gone. The woman thrashed her stick again, but this time at her husband.
Her haranguing voice only faded when they were some distance away. It was a sitcom comedy at its funniest.
My thanks to Sylvia Cognac for her culinary W3 #31 Prompt. My thanks also to David, The Skepticโs Kaddish for his wonderful weekly prompt.
Seagulls desire my favourite seaside lunch.
35 responses to “Fish and Chips by the Sea: a shadorma”
Interesting post and tasty shadorma! I love fish & chips ๐
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๐ Thank you Paula ๐ ๐
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Also, thanks for the history lesson, I didn’t know any of that! Very informative. I agree with you, no need to quarrel over who started it first. I thought that line “let’s not have a chip on our shoulders about it!” was hilarious โค
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I hope I’m not spamming you with comments, I keep trying to say that I love your shadorma, and that comment keeps disappearing into the void! Sorry if I quadruple commented.
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๐ I wouldnโt object to a hundred of comments like yours! Thank you so much ๐ means a lot to me ๐
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๐ gosh thank you for reading and laughing! โค๏ธ๐น
I always love a bit of history ๐
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I’m sorry, but fish and chips can’t beat moussakka! You’ve made me so mad that I just might write a poem about it. ๐ค
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That picture does make me hungry though ๐ซฃ
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๐ ๐ ๐
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๐ค๐ก๐
https://slipstreamswimming.wordpress.com/2022/12/04/moussaka-propaganda ๐
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Haha brilliant!
Here starts the Moussaka wars ๐
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๐ณ๏ธโ I surrender
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๐ wise decision. You canโt beat fish and chips. ๐ฌ๐ง
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I’m a man of peace โ๏ธ preferably two pieces of seer…
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really funny that it actually happened!
and I appreciate the rhymes you sneaked in there, Lesley!
โค
David
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๐ Thanks David! โค๏ธ๐๐
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I grew up on the coast and fish and chips have always been my favourite. Not seagulls though: horrible birds!
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Seabirds are magnificent, Clive! They are of the ocean ๐ sorry you donโt like them ๐
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Most are fine, Lesley, but I was always scared of gulls when I was little!
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They are enormous birds!โand can intimidate a little kid ๐ฆ ๐
I am in awe of them when I see them skim the brow of a wave at speed. ๐ ๐
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I love fish and chips and I love your shadorma, Lesley! ๐โค๏ธ
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Oh, thank you, paensunplugged! ๐๐๐๐๐
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Made me smile, I live near the sea so this is not alien as a scene, but you have written in such a way I am now craving fish and chips, damn ๐ delightful read and a lovely use of the form.
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Thank you pvcann! Thank you for your compliment ๐โค๏ธ Glad to make you smile ๐
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My pleasure – cheers – Paul ๐
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Thanks Paul! ๐
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๐
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My favourite fish and chips!! my mouth is watering – and yes aren’t those b***** seagulls a pain ๐
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๐ ๐ ๐
I love seagulls ๐๐ and the sea ๐
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Lesley this was a delight to read – both the shadorma and the commentary on the history and the inspiration!
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Thank you so much, Murisopsis! What a lovely compliment ๐โค๏ธ
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Lesley, just lettin’ you know that this week’s W3, hosted by the brilliant Britta, is now live:
Enjoy!
โค
David
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Thanks David ๐ ๐
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*hug*
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๐ค
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