I wrote the following piece of poetry two years ago and I have resurrected it here and tidied it up for a blog piece. I had it reviewed by an anonymous friend.

AUTHENTIC
by John Yeo
What does it mean to call something authentic?
If the sense of identification proves it’s real,
Can one prove the authenticity of it, unseen?

I suddenly woke this morning from a realistic dream,
The power of the images was unbelievably surreal.
What does it mean to call something authentic?

I pinched myself when things were not what they seemed,
An alternative reality that would be difficult to conceal.
Can one prove the authenticity of life, unseen?

A parallel experience that seemed alien to my lifestream,
Both lives were familiar as part of life’s spinning wheel.
What does it mean to call something authentic?

If I lived permanently ensconced in the life of my dream,
Reality as I know it would be a world that’s unreal.
Can one prove the authenticity of a life, unseen?

Would a schizophrenic personality somehow glean
Peace of mind with a new turn of the balance wheel?
What does it mean to call a life authentic?
Can one prove the authenticity of it, unseen?

Written by John Yeo ©️ all rights reserved

The style of this poem is free verse. It is a poem that does not follow any specific rhyme scheme or meter. The poem is written in the first person and explores the meaning of authenticity. The speaker of the poem asks a series of questions about what it means to be authentic, and whether or not it is possible to prove the authenticity of something. The poem ends with the speaker still asking these questions, suggesting that there is no easy answer.

  Margaret and I enjoyed a wonderful meal at a local restaurant. We weren’t celebrating anything special, in fact it was a night that we usually fondly describe as a ‘Just Because’ night.

  No.10 is a little gem of a restaurant that is situated in Augusta Street in Sheringham, North Norfolk. A small, select, family owned business run by the proprietors; Sonya who reflects a friendly welcome to the front of house and her husband Mustapha who has been cooking for almost 20 years. No.10 is conveniently situated quite close to the town centre of Sheringham,  the full address is… No.10 Augusta Street, Sheringham, Norfolk. NR26 8LA. Telephone number 01263 824400.

The interior of the restaurant has been described as vintage and is decorated with numerous vintage photographs and many ornamental talking points scattered around. 

  What makes this delightful restaurant special though is the always excellent cuisine prepared by Mustapha and the equally consistent warm welcome provided by his wife, Sonya.

   We were delighted with the meal and overcome with admiration for the cooking skills of Mustapha.

  We ordered drinks, Margaret chose white wine and I ordered a glass of my usual elderflower cordial. We were served with a wonderful taster dish of home made bread with olives and a tasty dipping oil.

   Margaret has an allergic reaction to anything cooked in rapeseed oil and also tomatoes. Sonya assured us this wouldn’t be a problem.

 We both started with a fillet of salmon served with pears, rocket, and tomatoes with an olive oil dressing. As promised Margaret’s portion was served without tomatoes. We both enjoyed this course immensely.

  Margaret had chicken supreme with potatoes, mushrooms and tarragon sauce for her main course. 

  I was served with a sea bass fillet with diced potatoes and red peppers and an incredibly tasty sauce.

  To follow we both indulged in a dessert of vanilla cheesecake with caramel sauce.

  We were both absolutely delighted with the quality and selection of dishes on the menu. The service was provided by Sonya the proprietor and was excellent, without any waiting time between the courses.

   No. 10 will always be our favourite restaurant in the whole of the area. We have enjoyed many meals there over the last few years and also whenever members of our family come to visit. 

I would highly recommend No.10 restaurant to anyone visiting Sheringham and the North Norfolk area.