Poetry Friday: Gone Shopping by Nikki Grimes

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Thanks to  Linda at TeacherDance for hosting Poetry Friday today.

I was fortunate to hear Nikki Grimes at the recent Poetry Camp on writing verse novels.  Of course, her book, GARVEY’S CHOICE, has been nominated for the CYBILS Poetry Award.

DEAR TOMATO: An International Crop of Food and Agricultural Poems, edited by Carol-Ann Hoyte, photography by Norie Wasserman (CreateSpace, 2015) was one of the many books I purchased while at the conference.  In it, is a poem by Nikki Grimes.

Gone Shopping

Basket in tow,
I go to the garden,
reach for Eggplant,
ripe and regal
in her purple splendor,
sunlight bouncing off
her sating skin.
“She is too beautiful
for roasting,”
my eyes tell me.
I almost agree,
but then,
my stomach growls.

(used with permission from Carol-Ann Hoyte and Nikki Grimes)

I no longer have a garden but I remember the times I grew eggplant.  I love the deep royalty of color this plant produces.  I also love the ratotuille, eggplant casserole, and roasted eggplant that I make from this vegetable.  This poem has ignited a need to buy some eggplant and create a savory autumn dish.

Happy Friday.

Happy Poetry.

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