Peterpan
Oct 17 05, 06:24
(Glossary of Italian terms used in the poem printed below the poem to assist with understanding.)
Enjoy!
Gastronomic Flowers
Stiff linen,
blushing tomatoes
unsalted bread
lustrous olives
zucchini flowers
buffalo mozzarella.
Corks eased -
Chianti splashes -
colouring glass,
blissful laughter.
Docile wind
rustles vines;
lavender floats
in spacious windows.
Parallel crops:
Green and gold
sunflowers track
dynamic sun.
Latin lovers lock
in narrow streets.
Gelati trickles
on my hand.
Italian terms:
Zucchini flowers or courgette flowers or long green marrow flowers, they are orange/yellow with five petals. To prepare, one cleans out the stamens and inserts a baton of moist white cheese called Buffalo mozzarella inside the petals. Delicious!
Chianti is the fresh wine from the Tuscan vines. It is rosso/red.
Gelati is Italian ice cream, and famous for good reason! It comes in a rainbow of flavours.
Sunflowers are dried to make sunflower oil, sunflower seeds in breads and cakes.
PP
Hi Bev
I'm glad I've just eaten my lunch or I'd be getting very hungry reading this. You paint a wonderful picture of Italian rustic gastronomy, making my mouth water. Can you eat the Zucchini flowers or are they just for decoration.
Thanks for giving us another taste (almost) of your holiday to Italy.
[add] {delete} comment
Gastronomic Flowers
Stiff linen, ....perhaps crisp linen?
blushing tomatoes[,] ...a wonderful image
unsalted bread[,]
lustrous olives[,]
zucchini flowers[,]
buffalo mozzarella.
Corks eased -
Chianti splashes -
colouring glass{,}[;]
blissful laughter.
Docile wind
rustles vines;
lavender floats
in spacious windows. ..does the lavendar really float or is it an illusion
Parallel crops:
Green and gold
sunflowers track
dynamic sun. ..I like the image of the sunflowers turning as the sun moves.
Latin lovers lock
in narrow streets.
Gelati trickles
on my hand. ....oooh very sensual
Thanks for the read. I know have a craving for ice-cream. :lol:
Nina
Peterpan
Oct 17 05, 06:57
Hello Nina
I await Lori, she will post the photo of the dish! Yes, one eats the flowers!
Stiff linen, ....perhaps crisp linen?
PP>Everybody says 'crisp linen'?
blushing tomatoes[,] ...a wonderful image
unsalted bread[,]
lustrous olives[,]
zucchini flowers[,]
buffalo mozzarella.
Corks eased -
Chianti splashes -
colouring glass{,}[;]
blissful laughter.
Docile wind
rustles vines;
lavender floats
in spacious windows. ..does the lavendar really float or is it an illusion
PP>There is lavender growing everywhere in the gardens. So it should be sending its fragrance in the windows? I wanted a visual, tactile, tasty and a fragrant poem?
Parallel crops:
Green and gold
sunflowers track
dynamic sun. ..I like the image of the sunflowers turning as the sun moves.
Latin lovers lock
in narrow streets.
Gelati trickles
on my hand. ....oooh very sensual
PP>Thanks for the comments! You'd better return to see the photo when posted!
PP
:)
Hi Bev
Firstly, a wonderful, mouth-watering photo and very well taken.
Stiff linen, ....perhaps crisp linen?
PP>Everybody says 'crisp linen'?
perhaps, of course it is your choice entirely but to me stiff means rigid, firm or hard. Was the linen like that?
Docile wind
rustles vines;
lavender floats
in spacious windows. ..does the lavendar really float or is it an illusion
PP>There is lavender growing everywhere in the gardens. So it should be sending its fragrance in the windows? I wanted a visual, tactile, tasty and a fragrant poem?
ah, I didn't understand that you meant the fragrance, I thought you were referring to the plant being placed somehow in the window to look like it was floating.
I'm looking forward to some more of your Italian memories.
Nina
Peterpan
Oct 17 05, 13:37
Hello Nina~
mmm the linens are all starched, and are pretty firm. I take your point on stiff though. I'll think about it.
Thanks for reading again to see the photo. I think it makes a difference to the poem?
PP
Hi Bev,
N.B. Bev asked me to take a look at this poem before posting and before I saw the photograph. Here, with Bev's permission, is a copy of my crit...
Hi Bev,
Suggestions: {-}[+](comments) - as always, As YOU Like It.
Gastronomic Flowers
by Beverleigh Annegarn
=======================
Stiff linen[,]
{B}[b]lushing tomatoes[,]
{U}nsalted bread[,]
lustrous olives[,]
{Z}[z]ucchini flowers[,]
{B}[b]uffalo mozzarella.
Hence:-
Stiff linen,
blushing tomatoes,
unsalted bread,
lustrous olives,
zucchini flowers,
buffalo mozzarella.
=======================
Corks eased -
Chianti splashes
colouring {the} glass[,]
drained with (break) blissful laughter.
Hence:-
Corks eased -
Chianti splashes
colouring glass,
drained with
blissful laughter.
=======================
Docile wind -
rustles vines;
lavender floats -
{in}[across (break maybe) ] spacious windows.
Hence:-
Docile wind -
rustles vines;
lavender floats -
across
spacious windows.
=======================
Parallel crops[:]
{G}[g]reen{;}[and] gold (I wouldn't usually suggest adding "and" - but I do think it works best here.)
{S}[s]unflowers track
{the} dynamic sun.
Hence:-
Parallel crops:
green and gold
sunflowers track
dynamic sun.
=======================
Latin lovers lock (great allit.)
in narrow streets.
Gelati trickles
on my hand.
(No suggestions for final verse)
=======================
Bev, your poem is very sexual; it celebrates it brilliantly. It has a warm sexuality which makes one think of Italy, too. I assume from your "Latin lovers" that it is intentional - and your final couplet is almost wonderfully obscene. Wonderful stuff.
The punctuation is somewhat bizarre - seems part-time (rather than deliberately omitted).
The capitals at the start of lines also seem non-uniform.
But these two aspects are technical. The artistry in this poem is splendid. I think it is the best of yours I've read and a joy to read. It is an amazing link between the old bedfellows - food and sex but done with such colour and warmth and (I say again) artistry. This is fab, Bev. I'm glad I got time to look at it today. I could rave about this all day - it ranks very highly in my book.
Thank you for the read. James.
(Thanks for the notes, too)
Peterpan
Oct 18 05, 04:52
Hello Jox~
Thank you for posting the crit. I noticed that Nina had an inkling of my 'suggestion' of sensuousness!
We shall see what she thinks now!
PP
:)
Hi Bev,
Indeed - and the photograph rather re-inforces that. Well done for both!]
J.
Peterpan
Oct 18 05, 05:19
Hello James~
I think that the photo enhances the poem. It is an interesting introduction?
One day in my old age, when I publish a book, I will HAVE to use photos to compliment my writings, my photographer does take good pictures though?
PP
:)
Hi,
Don't wait for old-age Bev.
The photos are great - but I think your poems also stand on their own.
J.
Peterpan
Oct 18 05, 05:24
Hello~
I have all the resources here to publish! But, I need a lot more material to make it worthwhile. So I will keep writing................:)
PP
Great - good luck (and I do think you're improving all thr time).
James.
Hi Bev
I noticed that Nina had an inkling of my 'suggestion' of sensuousness!
We shall see what she thinks now!
I actually got more than just an inkling of your "suggestion" of sensuousness and I totally agree with James, this poem is very sexual from the very beginning(including the photo. Those flowers are very evocative, no wonder the tomatoes were blushing.
Nina
Peterpan
Oct 19 05, 02:19
Oh well sexual, or not intentionally sexual, I am glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the chat.
PP
:)
Hi Bev
What a wonderful celebration of the senses! I love this tasty treat, and the last lines had me drooling 
(*thinks: must nip in to the travel agent's on the way to the supermarket later*).
The photo is excellent, too. In Britain we have trouble growing zuchinis and so on (too chilly) so we wouldn't waste flowers - need them to turn to fruit. But my daughter loves picking marrigold petals, nasturtiums and rose petals to make dinner more colourful.
A very inspirational poem, thanks 
Fran
Peterpan
Oct 19 05, 04:30
Thank you! Fran
I wanted to give the reader a sip and taste of Italy, as in Italy most things revolve around food and drink - families eat at the table, and many courses, a time consuming affair! The locals sit at coffee shops and deli's chatting and siping expresso. The Italians pride themselves on their confectionary and edibles. We went to a factory shop in Perugia - Baci chocolate is made there...........delicious! So I needed to share the gourmet experience. Thank you for your comments.
PP
:)
Blank_Canvas
Oct 26 05, 12:33
Bev,
The Italians say we are too harried here in the states. We do not take ( or are not given) the time to savor life. Especially, our meals.
If this is an example on how to savor the meal experience and see the sensuous possibilities.....I want it ! ~laugh~ This was blissful ! You write with eloquence !
Marcia
Peterpan
Oct 27 05, 05:25
Hello Marcia
Thank you for the kind words. Yes, Italians do 'make a meal' of it! *giggle, giggle*
Thanks for reading.
PP
:D
Cleo_Serapis
Oct 30 05, 15:26
Hi Bev.
WOW! What a poem! :sun:
I admire your use of capturing the senses here in variety. :pharoah2
I wouldn't change anything here. 
Chianti splashes -
colouring glass,
blissful laughter
I can visualize the scene!
Latin lovers lock
in narrow streets.
Gelati trickles
on my hand.
Oh la la! :hsdance: A memorable and sensual ending to boot! Now, THAT's what I call a double helping of desert! :laugh:
Cheers!
Cleo :chef:
Thank you so much Cleo!
PP
:)
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