Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit beautiful Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference for Roundup.
This week's ArtSpeak: Light poem is inspired by a sunset...and peaches!
As a genuine Georgia Peach (born in Georgia), and because my granddaddy made sure his grandchildren had the best fresh peaches (Elberta peaches, anyone?), peaches pop up in my poems from time to time.
Aside: did you know it's incredibly hard to farm peaches? Peach trees need near constant attention! So next time you bite into a beautiful, sweet peach, remember those very dedicated farmers. I'll be getting my peaches this year from Indian Creek Peach Farm.
Can you tell I've got gardening on my mind??
This week I attended a workshop on Community Gardens, and I also put in my lettuce seed. Yay!
Back to this latest peach-y poem. My favorite peach poem of all time is "From Blossoms" by Li-Young Lee. It begins:
Both poems are beautiful! A family friend of ours had peach trees and he fretted so about them.
ReplyDeleteTwo of my kids are Georgia Peaches, i.e. were born in GA.
What can compare with the memory of my grandfather's homemade peach ice cream?
Irene, peaches are a favorite of mine. When my own children were small, my husband went on a business trip to Georgia. He brought back an oversized Tshirt with a giant peach on it for my daughter. She loved wearing the shirt as her nightgown. I can imagine and even taste a juicy peach dribbling down my chin. Thanks for the memory.
ReplyDeleteI cannot WAIT until the peach-sweet light of sunny days returns, and the idea of fruit warm from the tree dribbling through our days. Yum.
ReplyDeleteI did not know that peaches are needy in the orchards. I just know that I love them...and the poem, 'Blossoms,' is wonderful. To take something into us like a perfect peach. What a great line. Thank for that and the sun juice dripping down our faces. DeLIGHTful!
ReplyDeleteYUM!!! I love peaches. Didn't know they were hard to grow. Your words are perfect for that gorgeous image. Li-Young Lee's poem is one of my favorites too!
ReplyDeleteLove it all, Irene. I spent time in my teen summers picking peaches in a family orchard owned by my aunt's husband's relatives. They are sumptuous but picking them covers one with that dust, though we ate it, too, as the poem says. I love your 'warm, sticky joy'!
ReplyDeleteI ap-peach-iate this post so much, Irene. My mouth is watering...
ReplyDeleteI'll Li-Young Lee's and your poem baked in a pie. ;)
Ooh, I appreciate this, too, Irene. Both of these poems! Do you know Adrienne Su's poetry collection Peach State? It's a good one.
ReplyDelete"warm, sticky joy" - Wow, that line brought so many beautiful memories of peaches for me, including picking peaches with my two-year-old. So many memories! I'm smiling over here at the sticky joy!
ReplyDeletepeaches...and lettuce seeds... we're in the middle of winter still but I can feel a summer sunset in my bones
ReplyDeleteOh, those closing lines of Li-Young Lee's poem! Gorgeous. I love yours, too, Irene. You aimed for joy and hit the target.
ReplyDelete