the lie that is
the conformity
of the supermarket
is unearthed
in my garden;
the tomatoes here
have names:
lemon boy,
early girl,
cherokee purple,
green zebra,
roma, sun sweet –
and shapes,
and colors,
and tastes –
oh, the deliciousness
that bursts
with my bite
as I stand
in the dirt
by the vines;
I can’t even wait
until I’m back
in the kitchen.
their talents
and uses
are as varied
as their tastes:
sauced, sliced,
sandwiched,
saladed;
summer’s gift
from spring’s
planting –
and enough
to share.
Peace,
Milton
i am envious… i put in just a few plants,, roma to make sauce,,, and i am getting nothing this year,, i live on the northern cali coast and we have had so much fog and not enough sunshine… i am hoping i get enough to eat a few and make a batch of sauce… boo hoo….
I’m a green with tomato envy myself. My husband used to grow the most amazing delicious tomatoes that I have ever tasted…..before,,,,,well,,,,oh just before.
Nothing better than home grown tomatoes eaten over the sink with just a salt shaker and the juice runnin’ down your arm……
this poem is delicious!
oh, you make me want to be in my daddy’s garden…few things smell quite so good as ripe tomatoes under the sun…
When I was little (back in the 50s when food was food!) we lived next door to a small tomato nursery. Essentially it was a big walled kitchen garden given over to tomatoes.
The owner used to let me wander around in it as much as I liked so long as I didn’t damage the plants, and it was understood I could only eat one tomato per trip.
I still remember the flavour and the smell of the sun on those ripe fruits and vines.
That was so beautiful. You are no Neruda but your tomatoes taste great in the virtual world. Most important, you are YOU!
I’ve never liked tomatoes *cringe – I know!* But maybe I’ve never had a good one.
But the real reason I’m writing is because the poem is so good. Well done!
I love how you brought tomatoes to life! I can see them dancing in the garden with their colour and scent. Lovely, JP
Now you’ve inspired me; I will just have to put in some fall tomatoes. It’s been too long since I grew some. And speaking of cool tomato names–maybe I’ll try Mr. Stripy again. Thank you for the poem.