I taste of the earth
Of damp root cellars
And obsolete wombs
Petrified and crisp
My juice wilts the palate
I appear bedeviled
As a shrunken head
With tufts of red-ribboned leaves
And a root that looks
Like a proboscis
I am hard and maternal
Like the cast of a woman’s breast
I am as common as wine
And can be used to make
A spirit comparable to port
I am a gem in vagabond stitch
Staining fingers and lips claret
As if the aftermath
Of a carnvirous feast
I can summon
Love from hearts
As bitter and laminate
As an unripened pomelo
I am a Goddess
A poor man’s dinner
A selection of mummified testicles
An asymmetrical top
That wobbles and rolls
But cannot fluently spin
I am a crouching Buddha
A farmer’s oyster
A clod of dirt best served
With ham and Dijon mustard
I am the neglected fountain
Of a poorly-expressed youth
I am a runner’s anodyne
I am the celestial pulse
Of a poetical sphere
I am the mighty,
I am the beet
*
I have never written a poem about a vegetable before lol I fear I’ve not done a very good job of it either. Could you guess which vegetable I was referring too? I refereed to beets as the poor man’s oyster because they also effect the libido and are said to work like Viagra. Beets improve stamina and reduce blood pressure hence the reference to the runner. There is also a myth that says if a man and woman share the same beet they will fall in love. I think I was supposed to write a tale but I wrote a poem. This is not part of the 33 autobiographical poems I wish to write beets do not figure that strongly into my life lol
This was written for
Wow! This is so cool…I did not know this about beets…lol, I must remember this the next time I cook for a beau {wink}
lol do so and you can tell me how it works
Well, I don’t think I would write home about it…hehe…that is usually reserved for girl talk 😉
Up to this I would have considered it unlikely that a poet would pay homage of this ilk but your beetiful poem does exactly that with visceral, tactile, sensory, philosophical, mythological and homespun wisdom-ridden words. The unhappily named Beta Vulgaris is heralded to new heights of reputation in this overdue tribute.
Mike your comment has made my day =) I must say I never imagined I would write such a poem but I took on a prompt challenge and decided to just embrace it fully
Hate beets….loved your poem!!! Only you could pull this off so well. You amaze me. 🙂
Thank you Skye =)
It’s a beetiful piece Yves.
Thanks Laurie hehe
well you have given me reason to try beets again…lol…
common, yet a gem….they are not my fav veggie…
but…
lol but they have so good effects =)
Don’t like beets but do like your poem 🙂
Thank you =) Beets aren’t very popular it seems haha I never had them as a child so I’ve none of those impressions. I tried them first in Sweden with a salad which has ham and Dijon mustard and I quite like the salad but when I have tried them in other ways I am aware of how earthy they are and though I can eat them they are not a favorite. I am quite open minded though and they are cheap lol
I never saw a fresh one until I moved to USA. Used to get them in cans. I preffer asparagus 🙂
Fresh is always better and I only eat beets raw, you can eat the leaves too they are quite nice. I love asparagus and truthfully most vegetables,
Very cool!! 🙂 🙂
Thanks Helen =)
Amazing, almost makes we want to try beets again 🙂
haha I am glad to hear it
I knew you were writing about the beet when you said taste like dirt. I like drinking beets in green juice. This poem is well written. I’m sure a beet farmer would love it.
haha they do taste rather dirty don’t they? Thank you =)
Pingback: Tale Weaver’s Prompt #2 Guessing Game (haibun) | Traces of the Soul
I can’t say I like eating raw beets, but they can be a good component of salad nonetheless and I haven’t consumed them cooked ever.
And what a wonderfully written piece… the character sketch is interesting and so delectable, if I may say so. 🙂 Wish the next beetroot that I eat tastes like your words. 😀
That is so sweet Anmol =) I cover up the flavor withe Dijon dressing I make haha
And I’ve saved the draft for Wednesday prompt. Hope you find it alright. 🙂
Look fantastic to me =)
Food is always a favorite. 🙂
I am a food lover too XD