“Come buy our orchard fruits,
Come buy, come buy:
Apples and quinces,
Lemons and oranges,
Plump unpecked cherries-
Melons and raspberries,
Bloom-down-cheeked peaches,
Swart-headed mulberries,
Wild free-born cranberries,
Crab-apples, dewberries,
Pine-apples, blackberries,
Apricots, strawberries–
All ripe together
In summer weather–
Morns that pass by,
Fair eves that fly;
Come buy, come buy;
Our grapes fresh from the vine,
Pomegranates full and fine,
Dates and sharp bullaces,
Rare pears and greengages,
Damsons and bilberries,
Taste them and try:
Currants and gooseberries,
Bright-fire-like barberries,
Figs to fill your mouth,
Citrons from the South,
Sweet to tongue and sound to eye,
Come buy, come buy.”
Christina Rossetti
This is a small excerpt from Victorian poet Christina Rossetti’s epic poem Goblin Market. You can find the whole text online. I am using this poem in my essay on food in poetry.
Tags: Christina Rossetti, Goblin Market
Download a FREE copy of the Artella eBook, Writing the Carousel: Going Full Circle in Colorful Poetry Writing!, which presents a progression of exercises that will help you uncover the surprising “turns” of phrases that make poetry effective, and then come full circle by using them in bold, colorful ways.Download your copy here!
Tags: Artella, free e-book, poetry, poetry prompt, poetry writing
The smell of ink is intoxicating to me – others may have wine, but I have poetry. ~Abbe Yeux-verdi
I just received my copy of Writing the Life Poetic, An Invitation to Read & Write Poetry yesterday.
It is a beautiful book written by poet Sage Cohen and illustrated by Gregoire Vion. I think the subtitle really captures what the book is about. Sage is inviting all writers to experience poetry and play with words and language.
In 258 pages and 80 short chapters Sage encompasses craft, form, voice, revision, shape, motivation, getting your work out, poetry contests, mixed media, blogging as a poet, poetry and writing groups, readings, and much more.The book includes many poetic and creative writing prompts/lessons, examples of poetry from familiar to new-to-me poets and stories of Sage’s journey as a poet. But most of all it contains inspiration. Each chapter seamlessly leads to the next. With a warm, inviting conversational tone this writing reference book is one I will pick up again and again when I’m feeling the “why do I want to write poetry feeling?” On the back cover of the book Sage invites all readers to “join the conversation” at her book blog.
I want to gift this book to all of my creative writing friends whether they consider themselves poets or not.
Lovingly,
The Poetry Nag
Tags: poet, poetry, Sage Cohen
Another poem about eating and poetry I just found on the back cover of an old grade school poetry book, Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle. It is Eve Merriam’s poem titled “How To Eat A Poem.”
Here’s an excerpt.
Don’t be polite.
Bite in.
Pick it up with your fingers and lick the juice that may run down your chin.
It is ready and ripe now, whenever you are.
I wonder if this poem inspired Mark Strand. It sure inspires me.
Lovingly,
The Poetry Nag
Tags: Eve Merriam
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