This is Just to Say

[osprey_archer]

This Is Just to Say
by William Carlos Williams

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

Periodically, I rediscover the fact that I don't like plums. What I like is the idea of plums: the sugarplum fairy, plum pudding and visions of sugarplums, and the pleasure of saying the word plum. Plum plum plum plum...

The Word Plum
by Helen Chasin

The word plum is delicious
pout and plush, luxury of
self-love, and savoring murmur

full in the mouth and falling
like fruit

taut skin
pierced, bitten, provoked into
juice, and tart flesh

question
and reply, lip and tongue
of pleasure.

Comments

[entwashian.livejournal.com]

Hee! Do you like blackberries (http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoem.do?poemId=2640)?

(I have a vivid memory of this poem, because my freshman year of high school, my English teacher had me read this aloud from our book, and then held me up as an example to the class of how poetry Should Be Read. Way to get people to hate me, teach.)

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I love blackberries, and quite like that poem. Is broughamed a real word?

Here's another poem about blackberries, by Seamus Heaney: Blackberry-picking (http://www.ishk.org/school/poem/poem_007.html). We practiced writing timed essays on this one in AP English.

[entwashian.livejournal.com]

It appears to be! Apparently, a brougham is a type of cart, so 'broughamed' would be verb like "wheeled" or "carted" or something.

Lol, oh, man, "a rat-grey fungus". So apt!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Your second poem here is so beautifully sensual.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I know! We read it in English class in high school, and everyone looked around uncertainly because...were we allowed to read something like this in school? Apparently, we were.

[amanen.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh I love that first poem. I think I heard it read on NPR once (although I don't recall hearing it in Garrison Keillor's voice...).

I don't know if I like plums or not (haven't had one in ages), but I agree with your sentiment here -- the idea of them is excellent.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

If Garrison Keillor hasn't read this poem on NPR, he should. He would really draw the humor out of it.