Tuesday, June 1, 2021

The mangoes of our lives

 

on my palm, you are sun

goddess made by the tropical

gods in their dreams


i cut you

across your seed

lengthwise

as your yellowing juice

drips & tinges

my fingertips of heavenly

sweetness


some would even

cut your flesh into little squares

to be spooned into

desserts light & creamy as clouds


but by the streets & shores

of hardy farmers, fishermen & tradesmen

we holler for you

salivating over


your hard green

skin of unripeness

a tartness to rouse our tongues

to firehouse

of bitter-sour flavor

the earth has pickled in your seed

either freshly picked

or mixed with diced tomatoes,

onions, chiles and

shrimp paste sauce,

a side dish

for grilled fish and fried meats


under cool shades

of coconut trees,

your greenness gives us

roots

salt of our skin

browning under the burning sun





Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - How to cut a pomegrante, hosted by Kim M. Russell.  Join us for a fruity prompt when the pub doors open by 3pm EST.

20 comments:

  1. Gosh! This is an absolute treat, Grace!💝 I especially love; "some would even cut your flesh into little squares
    to be spooned into desserts light & creamy as clouds."😍

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  2. I knew beforehand that you would write about mangoes... I have learned one thing and that is that every country that has mangoes say that they have the best ones. I think one of the best ones I ever had was in Manila...

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  3. I really got the flavour of your poem here, Grace:
    'skin of unripeness

    a tartness to rouse our tongues

    to firehouse

    of bitter-sour flavor'

    Yes, I can taste that! I'd love to go to a country where mangoes grow in such abundance.

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  4. The mango is one of my favourite fruits, about which I have written previously, which is why I went for the good old English apple. This is gorgeous, Grace, a lovely poem to take with me and read at my leisure. I love the idea of the mango as a sun goddess, the ‘yellowing juice [that} drips & tinges my fingertips’, and the change in taste to ‘a tartness to rouse our tongues to firehouse of bitter-sour flavor’ – not everyone knows the two sides to a mango. The side dish made my mouth water!

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  5. This is so delicious.

    I love the touch of cannibalistic suggestion embedded in this. :)

    “some would even
    cut your flesh into little squares”

    “on my palm, you are sun
    goddess”

    Very Hannibal Lecter, but with fruit! ... Hey, I had a guy call me the girl Hannibal this weekend. :)

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  6. The mango is one of my favorite fruits and oh my.....you truly have me wanting a taste! Your poem is indeed one to savor! :)

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  7. One of my absolute favorite fruits. My hubby makes the best mango salsa ever. Seeing her as "sun goddess" is just perfection. So much to love here, Grace.

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  8. This is amazing, and I think I'm going to save it to give it more re-reads. So much to uncover in the appreciation of the mango in each line like:

    "some would even

    cut your flesh into little squares

    to be spooned into

    desserts light & creamy as clouds



    but by the streets & shores

    of hardy farmers, fishermen & tradesmen

    we holler for you"

    And I have to agree with one of the commenters above, I feel like the details are reminiscent to Lecter with how you explore this art of appreciation... though the difference is, it's with mangos, not humans. :D

    I love this piece. It's beautiful, graphic, and utterly brilliant.

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  9. My mouth is literally watering.

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  10. I need to pick up mangoes now. This was wonderful, Grace.

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  11. Sounds delicious - I like coconut shrimp dipped in a mango sauce.

    I can feel your connection to this fruit

    "your greenness gives us roots"

    Nice to see you Grace, I hope you have been well

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  12. Oh that sounds and looks so delicious! It's easy to see you are bonded with mangos. Blessings indeed.

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  13. Mango as sun goddess - yes, that works! The ultimate sunshine fruit. It's hard to get a perfect mango in the UK, but when you do - "we holler for you"!

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  14. Mangos are like summertime to me. I love the firehouse image as the mango is so cheerful it's alarming. I didn't try mangos as a child, so I remember the first time and the summertime smile. Wonderful imagery, Grace.

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  15. Filipino mangoes. :( How I miss them and your words felt like a beautiful song for them. They made of gods, definitely. Thank you for this.

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  16. Grace,
    I love mangoes and your poem makes me want to rush out and get some.
    ~��Dora

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  17. The variety of mango treats ... endless ~ your poem brings them into the warm bright light of a summer day!

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  18. or mixed with diced tomatoes,
    onions, chiles and
    shrimp paste sauce,
    a side dish

    Love the way you go around it in a poetry in motion like manner, Grace! We have a similar side dish taken at meal times as a salad or just by itself for the joy of it!

    Hank

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  19. You sure know your mangoes, Grace. There is a time when that tart, unripened fruit is what the situation calls for, and that is a perfect Mango Moment.
    And then there's a time when you just slurp and lick the juices from the same fruit. Glorious, Mango Moment!
    I don't know in what land you get your mangoes but they're all touched by the same Sun so I know they are the best.
    As for me, I grew up with the Mexico type and to this day believe in them.
    Thanks for sharing your lovely poem. Delicious!

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