Thursday, July 27, 2006

Poetry Thursday- Food

Haiku Poetry

Just as I get to a time in my life where food can be a wonderful adventure and I can afford to try different things, I don't want to. I can no longer cook and hubby has enough to do, so it has become a pain. Eating out is embarrassing because forks and glasses are too heavy, I'm messy and have to have food cut, I easily choke and people stare. I drink coffee and soup with a straw, they really like that one :) I don't mind the curiosity and smiles but I do mind how I feel when I go out...it's just not as fun. I'm a lady and eating out makes me feel five years old. One day I will be on a feeding tube so my lost love for eating will be life's way of preparation. Can you see me craving a t-bone...I'll have mine pureed. It all works out in the end.

Long Lost Love

Breast milk nourished me
bonding with a love of food
happy, full, content


Childhood cravings
food is trial and error
substitute for love


Teenage angst begins
fat feeds my anxiety
acne is pay back


Twenties go too fast
married, babies, fast food blues
experiments gone wrong


Thirties life changes
food becomes laborious chore
eating is a bore


Forties life is good
food is just fuel for muscles
precious energy

20 comments:

Becca said...

Tammy, these are wonderful! I love how a haiku series expands and develops the topic. You truly captured how our experience with food changes througout life. Bravo!

tiffini elektra x said...

Amazing! Your perspective and humor - thank you. Beautiful.
P.S. I am smitten with those forks, they are absolutely RAD! *sigh*

Star said...

I had to take "five" deep breaths. What a wonderful way to make a longer poem by creating a succession of haiku. I love how you've addressed each decade and their particular joys and challenges.

On a different level, I can relate to your changing feelings about eating out. When I made changes in my diet a few years ago I found out how much of life revolves around food and how difficult that can be if you have special needs. Need to comfort someone--send food; show someone you love them--make their favorite meal; celebrate almost any occasion--dinner out; even meeting up with a friend seems to be over a beverage of some kind.

Thanks for your wonderful post, Tammy. You always make my day brighter.

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

A t-bone pureed is better than none. Or is that a t-bone on the plate is better than 2 pureed...? I always enjoy my visits with you, tammy! Poetry, music, and great photos--what more can I ask?

Deb R said...

Tammy, the series of Haiku are so good - such a true and fascinating progression.

Madeleine said...

Tammy, what fantasti haiku. we really do all have a very strange realtionship with food at times in our lives.
at some point this changes and we can enjoy it in the way we're supossed to.
i can't imagine your frustration at not being able to enjoy the experience as you once did.
you're such a treasure, and i admire you more with every second which passes.

hugs
xx

betty said...

Tammy; never thought of it that way, but that must be hard to not enjoy one of life's simpler pleasures of a night out at a favorite restaurant. (what about take-out??)

great poetry as usual :)

betty

Anonymous said...

So true, food IS fuel - one that can be enjoyed. I wish I could wave a wand and re-educate the world for you - let's go out to eat and we'll start one waitress at a time! I've eaten out with people of all different abilities. We just smile, as we let waiters know what we need and smile at any other diners rude enough to stare. Eventually they realize THEY are the ones who should be embarrassed for staring, and get back to minding their own manners. Sending you (((Hugs)))

Verity said...

I love the way the stanzas follow your life, sod those rude people! I'd totally smile if I saw someone eating their soup through a straw. Sending you hugs too. :-)

Colorsonmymind said...

I love the photo too.

I wanted to bring you a delectable pureed feast as I read this.

Do you enjoy different teas? Coffee?

My creative thoughts have been focusing on creating what you describe in the last stanza-
for me to use food only as fuel for energy and muscle.

I loved this poem. You are amazing woman!

Loving you

V said...

Tammy......What a wonder you are.
Hugs,
V

paris parfait said...

These are all fabulous, like you, Tammy! Thank you for sharing more of your talent and your life. xo

Emily said...

These poems are wonderful! I love how they span decades.

Sky said...

tammy, haiku is indeed your special gift to us! wowow!

about the eating out...i hope you will enjoy the ventures you can now physically make to the restaurants. the shifts in what you can do comfortably are simply that - "shifts." i hope they don't stop you. it is important that we all do what we can while we still can. the days when we are limited in our mobility will find most of us sooner than we wish.

yea, i feel like i am 5, too, when i spill everything on myself! this is a "new" habit of 5 years - wearing my food! it is not getting any better with time. at home i pad myself with napkins! in public i pull out my wet ones and rub! they can look if they want. :)

(some restaurants have "private rooms" for special occasions. check to see what might be available in your area and see if you can use them when you and your family want to celebrate if you prefer more privacy. a phone call to investigate and discuss this arrangement in advance might pave the way.)

turquoise cro said...

Precious energy for a precious energy, Tammy! You are an inspiration to us all sweetness! I love all your poetry and those forks are very nice, one of those could be my Favorite! I have a favorite spoon, it's very old and tarnished and has roses on the end of it though! My son and I fight over it sometimes! Isn't that silly? lol

Rachel said...

thank you for sharing how it is. I love 'all there on a plate', by Tammy, it is amazing how our quest for food changes as we go through our life.
Do you have email?

Chris said...

Beautiful post about one of my favorite things in life.....food. You are such a positive and giving person that it is so easy for me to forget sometimes that you are battling ALS. I admire you Tammy.

Chris
My Blog

Ceebie said...

Tammy, what more can I say than what everyone has said? I'd never thought about how my relationship with food has changed through the decades, but you've captured this so nicely! Thanks for sharing :)

Kay Cooke said...

Thanks for the haiku - that is an interesting angle. Have loved reading your blog - my first visit - the first of many visits! (here from belle's Smatterings)

Cyn Bagley said...

I am here from Belle's Smatterings too. :-)