taste?

he didn’t know taste
he didn’t know what
sweet & sour,
salty, bitter, umami
tasted like on his tongue
he tasted textures
smooth, coarse,
wet, dry,
hot, cold
they made the difference
but taste was all the same
everything he tasted
was the same
he ate to stay alive
not to decide if it
was one pinch of salt or two
that’s all food meant to him
a way of staying alive and
satisfying his hunger
taste? what’s that?