It’s mid-June, almost summer, and
that means fresh fruit not available in winter is now abundant in the markets. This
week, let’s write about what’s cool and fresh, juicy, ripe, and sweet – let’s “pick”
a fruit and write a poem about it.
You might use fruit as a metaphor
or symbol, or you might write an extended description of whichever fruit you
“pick.” You might even use a particular fruit as the “trigger” for a memory
poem – create a fruit pie or a fruit salad of memories. Another option is to
write an ode to a type of fruit, or write a list poem in which you catalog a
particular fruit’s qualities and associations. Write a history of your favorite
fruit (see Dorianne Laux’s poem “A Short History of the Apple” linked below). Begin
with a general description of a fruit and then move the poem into more personal
focus through a special association (see Diane Lockward’s “Blueberry” linked
below). Turn a bunch of grapes into a heady wine of imagery and metaphor. Have
fun with this or be serious! (My advice is to nibble on a piece of fruit while
you’re writing.)
Examples:
