"You have to eat oatmeal or you'll dry up. Anybody knows that." ~ Kay Thompson, author of Eloise
I just had breakfast with these two poets.
Usually, I dine alone. Maybe it's better that way. When I dine alone, clever poets don't make me snort oatmeal out my nose.
We all have to make our sacrifices.
All along, I've been trying to show the relationship between food and writing. Rather than write over 400 posts on this blog, I should have just asked Galway Kinnell to recite this poem, which he wrote because a painter at a writers retreat felt sorry for him eating his oatmeal alone.
Galway was right. It is worse eating oatmeal with an imaginary friend.
Still, I feel sure I'm going to invite these guys over again.
OATMEAL
by Galway Kinnell
McCann's Irish Oatmeal with ground flax, orange blossom honey, soy milk, and fresh raspberries.
I eat oatmeal for breakfast.
I make it on the hot plate and put skimmed milk on it.
I eat it alone.
I am aware it is not good to eat oatmeal alone.
Its consistency is such that it is better for your mental health if somebody eats it with you.
That is why I often think up an imaginary companion to have breakfast with.
Possibly it is even worse to eat oatmeal with an imaginary companion.
Nevertheless, yesterday morning, I ate my oatmeal porridge, as he called it, with John Keats.
Keats said I was absolutely right to invite him:
due to its glutinous texture, gluey lumpishness, hint of slime, and unusual willingness to disintegrate, oatmeal should not be eaten alone.
He said that in his opinion, however, it is perfectly OK to eat it with an imaginary companion, and that he himself had enjoyed memorable porridges with Edmund Spenser and John Milton.
Even if eating oatmeal with an imaginary companion is not as wholesome as Keats claims, still, you can learn something from it.
(Rest is here.)
Lunch:
Yat-Yee Chong is today's Poetry Friday hostess. Better RSVP if you're bringing an imaginary companion.
Random comment, as I check your site today:
THANK YOU for putting copyright dates (and other publishing info) on your reviews. It makes me crazy to read a blogger’s positive thoughts on a book but then, when I try to get info on it in order to try to read it myself, I have no idea if it’s ten years old or just out. Not that it matters in terms of simply reading it, but, well, I’m a nerd and want my publishing info. So, thanks!
Jules,
You are very welcome!
And thank YOU for leaving us the nice note!
Andrea
Thank you so much for reviewing my book. Sitting in my studio in England U.K hearing your thoughts and comments is a great thrill!
My best wishes to you all, Simon.
Hi Simon
We loved the new book too, where Baby Brains tries out as a Rock Star!
Loved your podcast about Simon James’s book Baby Brains. He has such fresh, intriguing ways of looking at life. I’ll have to rush out and read it! What a terrific idea, your coffeeshop conversations! Thanks.