Which two words are proper to end poetrybites 2010?

“Thanks, Susan.”
Is blog-poem a new form? I’ll ponder as I roast root vegetables. As I contemplate creating this --

Winter Citrus Fruit Salad with Jalapeno Olive Oil or the only salad made this week without olives

grapefruit
pomelo
orange
avocado
cherry tomatoes
Sciabica’s Jalapeno olive oil
perhaps, nuts, perhaps, not

How does one get a jump-start on poem-making for 2011?

Simple. Straight-forward. Begin looking up the etymology of your 500 favorite words many of which include fruit & vegetable. By the way, what precisely is jump-start? Of well, the list swells to 501. Things are bound to get circular.



Cook accordingly to what is found (out). Perhaps, incorporate what was momentarily thought of as lost.

What poem-making does Christmas inspire?

….for those who no longer celebrate? For those who say (nevertheless),“Bring on the lights.” Of course, recommended is reading – short forms in particular.



There’s sushi for those of us who opt-out of cooking the festive meal. Substitute pen for spoon.

Is etymology the unseen glue in a poem?

Because each word matters? Because where each word comes from matters. Land and inspiration.


What is the origin of any soup? Each ingredient and its subsequent absence. For instance, the removal of spent vegetables in a stock, and, of course, the ridden bay leaf.

What is fractal poetry?

Poems about flowers? About cacti? Waves? Too many to count. What’s fractal about language? For instance, are verbs more fractal than nouns?


In cooking look deep into an artichoke.

Which food best accommodates an occasion poem?

The occasion, you ask. Winter Solstice. Let there be light, let there be a pomegranate. A cypress will do no harm.



When a pomegranate is mentioned, of course, it’s the seeds we’re talking about. Good to invoke on the shortest day of the year. Perhaps to the above trinity, add "anticipation".

How will the total lunar eclipse affect the poem you wrote today?

And the poem tomorrow?



How is a meal both influenced and the influencer? In other words, does what you eat affect the poetry you write? Does poetry dictate what you eat?

What happens when you think you know how the poem will end?

Who is the “you?” Poet or reader?


What happens to a meal when guests guess what will be served?
What level of satisfaction results?
What percentage of mystery?

Do poems written in winter reflect lessening light?

Are they shorter? Darker? Denser?



Does winter food calculate its relationship to the equator?

What is a "busy" poem?

When questioned, “How are you?” people often respond “busy.” When asked, “How a poem is?” do you think the response is “busy?”



When you ask a cook the same question (How are you?) most likely you’ll be handed a bowl of marinated olives to put on the table. She will be smiling.

Marinated Olives

To olives, lemon peel, dried lemon thyme, garlic, bay leaf, olive oil, add almonds and/or chopped tomatoes. Yes, tomatoes.

How is a blurb like a title of a poem?

Both herald a poem.
Or is it the other way round: How is a title, a blurb?
Much debate these days about the efficacy of blurbs.


What if, recipes were titled with more forward-sounding language?


RICE SALAD FOR DEMETER and the rest of us, too

Jasmine rice (cooked)
peeled mandarins (or similar)
seeded pomegranate
roasted almonds
lemon thyme
olive oil

mix. enjoy.

P.S. What’s forward-sounding language? Lemony???

Do you peel your poems before eating?

Do you peel a Fuyu persimmon while reading your poem?

Skin. Flesh. Paired and paring.

Do birds of feather, get published together?

Yup. Pre-reserved spaces in the formation. When a flock descends, space it at a premium. If this thwarts your migratory ambition, feather your own nest. You will find like metered birds.


About birds, can’t, can’t eat quail. Just can’t. That topknot gets me every time.

Is there a process to make a poet a better poet?

Good, better, best. In the meantime, study craft. Read widely & deeply. How do you impart play; measure inspiration?


Improve the cook? Encourage her to get her hands dirty. Fire up the kitchen.

How do you bid bye-bye to a poetry series?

Thanks.
Endings begin something. Like a door. Window. Splayed book.
Write.



To celebrate the last poem, slice a persimmon or two.

Are layers of an edited poem visible?

Digital footprints? Tree rings? Shale? Seen through Plexiglas? Or, password protected and invisible?



How does a well-cooked meal improve by its out-takes? Craft & play. Today’s grilled baby artichokes proclaimed inedible; tossed out with the junk mail. Yearning for success, try again.