Tomato

by sibyllene   Aug 14, 2011


I'm the sweet orb of August,
firm and plump and glowing orange and red,
lit through with a day's long sunshine.

I am the bite sized, watery swell,
smelling like thick green vines, flecks
of warm dirt, water through an iron-brushed hose.

Fresh - healthy, flushed like full cheeks.
Or cooked - simmering, stewing, oozing,
carrying the secret of all those long, lush evenings;
giving that deep note of the garden
to all the warmest meals.

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Latest Comments

  • 12 years ago

    by Kiko

    I think this is a beautiful ode to a tomato, and I enjoyed it more than Neruda's long, rambling write.

    Very well done and congrats on the win.

  • 12 years ago

    by PinkyPrincess

    You know I love tomatoes! But I found it interesting how you wrote a poem all about tomatoes. I loved the odd title, and how you personified tomatoes throughout the poem... It was a sweet read. Congrats on the win :)

  • 12 years ago

    by Dark Secrets

    Wow!!! Your wording and the flow of the poem was perfect!!! Loved it. I feel like eating tomatoes now. You reminded me of a book I was reading, it said tomatoes were called "love apples" before and people thought they were the fruit of satin. Your poem gave me that feeling... that tomatoes are sinful fruits because they're sooo good.

  • 12 years ago

    by paige

    Beautiful, lovely, heart warming poem:)

  • 12 years ago

    by The Prince

    Nice poem. :)

    'I'm the sweet orb of August,'

    is the best line in the poem and fitting for it being the opener, really (excuse the pun) ripe choices of wording here.

    What I think you could've done better though is really think about

    'firm and plump and glowing orange and red,
    lit through with a day's long sunshine.'

    It's too easy to describe a tomato as orange, glowing and red. I won't go as far as saying it isn't poetry and I'm already fully aware that you didn't write it to change nation's minds about the humble tomato haha, but it's too ordinary this part.

    I have no problems with the second stanza though I'd like a bit more personality given to the tomato, not personifying it but there's not much here that really feels like the tomato should have a poem written about it.

    You might want to take a look at Neruda's ode to tomatoes and how he's crafted it in order to give personality and acute passion in the choice of words and form.

    http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/pablo_neruda/poems/15736

    'flushed like the cheeks of toddlers.'

    is cliche, and unneeded. But I enjoyed the simple ending. 'warm note' could've failed but it didn't here.

    I did enjoy this poem but I feel it's too pedestrian to warrant a few re-reads at the moment. You're still one of the best poets on the site, mind.

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