2016 Found Object Poem Project: Day 2
It's Day 2 of our 2016 daily write-in. This year's theme is FOUND OBJECTS. Thanks to all of the poets and writers who contributed objects for our daily prompts.For those of you who are new to the project, please read my introductory post. You'll find more information and all of the Week 1 FOUND OBJECTS at this post.
On to Day 2. As I was going through potential prompts, I noticed a few themes developing among the objects we found. One category of FOUND OBJECTS is interesting food. Since we're focusing on using all five senses in our writing this year, food is a perfect way to get our sensory imagery flowing.Found: Fancy ProduceToday's object(s) was sent in by Mary Lee Hahn of the blog A Year of Reading. I'm guessing Mary Lee found some farmer's market treasures to share with us.Let's start with Mary Lee's response today. You can also find this poem at Mary Lee's blog.Ode to Summer ProduceI realize now, in the grey shrivel of winter,I took you for granted.Your abundance overwhelmed me.Your spectacular crunch became ordinary.How I long for your vibrant colors!How I miss your ripeness!Seed packets dance in my dreams.(Shovel, hoe, trowel and water jugs hold their peace.)©Mary Lee Hahn, 2016One of my favorite things to cook, especially in the fall and winter, is soup. Jessica Bigi's poem really warmed me up!Vegetable SoupBy Jessica BigiVegetablesEggplantsGreen peppersEgg noodlesTomatoes saltAlphabet noodlesBay leaf beatsLentils leeksElbow macaroniSummer squashOnions oyster crackersUnbelievably deliciousParmesan cheese smile
Fans of Poetry Friday will recognize Diane Mayr's style in this art/poem creation. Diane says, "Mary Lee's vegetables reminded me of the veggies exhibited at the Topsfield Fair this past October."children's exhibit...a decided irreverencefor vegetablesBy Diane MayrMolly Hogan's poem for today is filled with great action verbs. Check out her blog post about the poem here.A rainbow of vegetablesCascades across the clothin a vegetable tangleRichly hued glossy skinsand upright stemslike jewels from a casketin burnished splendorglistening with ruby lightsand polished emerald huesA garden offering.Soon the sharpened knifewill slice crisplypiercing taut skinschopping, dicing, mincingexposing seeds nestled deep in the coreor scattered throughout the fleshcarving out slivers and sliceson the scarred cutting boardstained with pooling juicesa stew?a soup?a sacrifice.by Molly HoganI'll never forget a visit to the farmer's market, when the Pepper Man gave my young son a chocolate pepper to taste. He ate the whole thing like an apple, to the farmer's amazement. I'm in with a short rhyme today.Chocolate PepperBy Laura ShovanLooks like candy,crunchy, sweet,glistening in summer heat.Cooking and eating are closely tied to family traditions and memories, as we see in Linda Baie's pepper poem.Yesterday in AugustI remember my grandmotherpulling peppers from the vine.Baskets full, washed at the pump,then slice and fill the jars–her winter’s garden.That day, we kept some to taste.They’re crispy water,ready for salad,lunch on the summer porch,fan whirling overhead.Linda Baie ©All Rights ReservedSpeaking of families and food (and poems), Matt Forrest Esenwine left an adorable note with his poem today:"My 2-year-old is demanding my attention, so it’s a haiku today!"sunlight pierces mornrefracts through rows of raised bedsvegetable prism– © 2016, Matt Forrest EsenwineWow. Check out the playfulness in Margaret Simon's pepper poem. I love it, and this comment: "I am composing on the yellow notepad on my laptop. That way I don’t feel there’s as much of a commitment to excellence. This one was just fun playing with the sounds of words."PeppersBy Margaret SimonPeppers purplepeppers greensquashsquashsquashI see ya, eggplantthink you’re hidingin your shiny skin?Market daysare silver dollar dayswhen fresh isas fresh does.Make me a salad,please.***Great to see Charles Waters cooking with us today.MAKING A MEALDicing peppersslice, slice, slice.Chopping carrotsclop, clop, clop.Roasting turnipscrack, crack, crack.Washing lettucescrub, scrub, scrub.Salting eggplantdash, dash, dash,Grinding tattersmash, mash, mash.Now it’s time to take a seat,yes, it’s time to eat, eat, eat!(c) Charles Waters 2016 all rights reserved.***Finally, my dear friend and critique partner Jennifer Lewis is joining us!!Market FareBy Jennifer LewisThe musky scent of summer’s gifts,Arrives solicitous, upon the wind,Gazes adrift consume the view,As organic rainbows suffuse,Joyful laughter ebbs and flows,Crimson juices southward goes,Melodies contour their staff,As mothers sway, bounce and tap,Fill your bag and fill your soul,There’s more at market than escarole.***Donna Smith of the blog Mainely Write says, "My childhood memories of my mother’s vegetable garden – from which we could freely eat any time of day."There Was a RainbowThere was a rainbow– Rose from earth –Drawn from my mother’s handsAnd we could pick those colors sweetAndEatAndEatAndEat.©2016, Donna JT Smith, all rights reserved***You'll find Carol Varsalona's digital design for this poem at her blog, Beyond Literacy Link.Market DaySummer's a'coming!Vegetables galore-fresh riped-picknot from the store.Foods I adore!©CVarsalona, 2016***Jan Godown Annino's poem is about the vegetables, but also about our poems today.
See you tomorrow for Day 3.If you'd like to read what we've written so far, here are links to this week's poems:Monday, February 1FOUND OBJECT: 100 year-old mailing boxPoems by: Diane Mayr, Molly Hogan, Mary Lee Hahn, Linda Baie, Jessica Bigi, Margaret Simon, Laura Shovan, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Catherine Flynn