Fruit Loops
I spent a recent morning writing the following poem, which started when I realized that cheery and cherry are almost the same word and are fun said together. But now all I can think about is, ‘what is my writer’s group going to think when I bring THIS as my latest work to be work shopped?’ It might throw them for a loop, a few heads may turn, or maybe I’ll just make them hungry.
Plum is yum
and cherry is cheery
But what part of berry is raspy?
Bananas can be split
or cause you to slip
Apples remind me of fall
I figure a fig is easier to figure
than three meanings
of the word date
A lemon could be worthless
Prune could mean cut
A raisin is a grape
But a grapefruit is not
A peach has a pit
A pear has a core
A nectarine has no neck
An orange has skin and a navel
A pineapple’s not pine or apple
A coconut has no cocoa
A cantaloupe can’t gallop or lope
Mango is tropical
Peachy is keen
A tangerine is an orange
from Tangier
Are crabapples crabby?
Do geese like gooseberries?
If blueberries are blue
and blackberries are black
why aren't strawberries made of straw?
I don’t mince quince
or wish on a star fruit
I don’t know why pomegranates
have so many seeds
Does passion fruit flirt?
Are elderberries old?
Have you ever poured a watermelon
and drank it by the gallon?
What's an apricot got
that a kumquat does not?
Have you ever had a kiwi lime pie?
~ Colleen Redmarmalade
Comments
My favorite word in the whole thing is "Redmarmalade"! Even if your poet friends are surprised by your poem, tell them Bonnie loves it.
Posted by: Bonnie Jacobs | December 7, 2007 12:37 PM
Fabulous!
A cantaloupe can’t gallop or lope!!
Posted by: Ampersand | December 7, 2007 1:01 PM
What about a crabapple? ;-)
Posted by: SunnySchlenger | December 7, 2007 1:28 PM
Great idea! Is a crabapple crabby? And what does it have to do with crab? I suppose those who eat them might be crabby by the fact that they aren't as sweet as regular apples. Here's what I found: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malus
Posted by: colleen | December 7, 2007 1:53 PM
This was so much fun! Thanks for the chuckles...
Posted by: June | December 7, 2007 5:27 PM
PS: I'm picturing you reading this at an upcoming Spoken Word. It's going to be a big hit!
Posted by: June | December 7, 2007 5:33 PM
Wunderful! Wunerful!
Posted by: alex | December 7, 2007 6:36 PM
LOL, LOL...LOVE THIS, Colleen! It is truly delightful, and clever and so smart! And True, Too! WONDERFUL WONDERFUL Poem, my dear!
Posted by: OldOldLady Of The Hills | December 7, 2007 7:58 PM
It is fun to read and I will be reading it at the next spoken word! I actually thought at one time I would end up writing nursery rhymes and books for children and have had an interest in that for a long time.
Posted by: colleen | December 7, 2007 9:10 PM
Fun and playful, I like it! As for apples--it could remind you of fall or the fall (as in Eve eating the apple).
Posted by: sage | December 7, 2007 11:33 PM
I love it, Colleen! It's fun.
Posted by: kenju | December 7, 2007 11:43 PM
You SHOULD pursue writing children's books!!! Your wit and cleverness make for a perfect match. Honestly, you should do this .
Posted by: June | December 8, 2007 7:33 AM
That'd be a great headbuster for an advanced ESL class.
Posted by: Pearl | December 8, 2007 9:56 AM
Okay. Anybody who can weave the word kumquat into prose is my kinda poet.
Posted by: Jennifer | December 8, 2007 9:57 AM
What a joyful and playful poem, Colleen! I love it. (And I'm with June--you SHOULD write children's books).
Posted by: Beth | December 8, 2007 9:57 AM
what great fun at the sugarplum time of the year !!!!
Posted by: sandy kessler | December 8, 2007 10:33 AM
I agree with all the comments. It is a great poem and very original.
Posted by: Sherry | December 8, 2007 6:53 PM
Cute poem...I enjoyed it - and smiled a lot while reading it.
Posted by: Sara | December 8, 2007 11:13 PM
That's sweet. He he, pun intended. You just gave me a hankering for pomegranade which, as it happens I have on hand. That looks like it was fun to write. Maybe could be turned into a children's song...
Posted by: Smiler | December 9, 2007 12:05 AM
jelly nice!
from michele.
you look great with Santa.
Posted by: david, 7000 feet up | December 9, 2007 9:03 PM
I have a sudden craving for fresh pineapple and pomegranate seeds! Nice to "see" you again, Colleen
Posted by: dara | December 9, 2007 9:52 PM
Raspberry will never be the same!
Sweet poem!
Posted by: tongue in cheek | December 10, 2007 4:50 PM
Great poem to put on the fridge! :-)
Posted by: Seamus | December 10, 2007 6:54 PM
That was cute! And you look very nice with Santa in the above post...I bet he brings you something good!
Posted by: Deana | December 11, 2007 11:42 AM
I just rewrote this poem after work shopping it with my writer's circle!
Posted by: colleen | December 11, 2007 11:50 AM
Hey, I liked it the way it was. Or is what I just read the new version? Whatever. It was just jolly (it's the word of the season, right?) to get so deeply into fruit. I think I'll go eat the grapefruit in my frige and chillax. PS I loved seeing Josh's kiln go up.
Blessings,
Sharry
Posted by: Sharry Teague | December 12, 2007 10:46 PM
Yes, the one you read is the new version. Just the ending changed.
Posted by: colleen | December 12, 2007 11:07 PM