Poetry and Food -Poetry Friday

I want to share a poem today from Eve Merriam, titled, 'How to Eat a Poem.' In this short poem, Eve Merriam invites us to embrace an appetite for both food and poetry. I found this poem at the back of a book called 'Eat This Poem- a Literary Feast of Recipes Inspired by Poetry, by Nicole Gulotta. The poem provides a fitting final piece in this in this artful book.

The book, a gift from a friend, celebrates two of life's essential ingredients- food and poetry. My friend knows me extremely well. The book strikes a continuing chord in my personal life.

Connecting food and poetry opens up fresh ways for readers to access poetry as well as adding deeper meaning to the food we cook for family and friends.

This book is a wonderful gift for poetry lovers and doubly so for those with a passion for food and cooking. I have no wish to analyse this poem. I merely offer it to you as one would offer a guest a tasty delight. Bon appetit!

How To Eat a Poem

by Eve Merriam

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.

You do not need a knife or fork or spoon

or plate or napkin or tablecloth

For there is no core

or stem

or rind

or pit

or seed

or skin

to throw away.

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