artichoke wisdom


Image: Danny Gregory Used with permission Thank you!

Image: Danny Gregory
Used with permission
Thank you!

i

people are like artichokes

difficult

sometimes prickly

but if one is willing

to take the time

to make the effort

the best part is deep inside

ii

take it one succulent leaf at a time

use it to transport flavor into your life

then throw away the dross

iii

take your time

to get to the core

or you may miss something

on the way

iv

artichokes have color

texture

layers

like people

or poetry

v

each artichoke is unique

but in a field

it can get lost in the crowd

if you don’t take time

to look carefully

vi

an artichoke can seem strange

if you didn’t grow up with them

like i did

vii

if you have a bad experience

with an artichoke

you may want to avoid them

i found a fly once

and didn’t eat another for years

i regret it

don’t judge all artichokes

based on one bad one

viii

when you get to the heart

of an artichoke

take time to savor

 

Linked to Gabriella’s prompt at dVerse Poetics, based on the art of Danny Gregory. Thank you, Danny for allowing us to use your work.

The pub opens Tuesday at 3:00 EST.

 

 

 

 

 

30 thoughts on “artichoke wisdom

  1. Amrit Sinha says:

    Very wise words … I loved the reference to artichoke 🙂

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  2. There is no doubt in my mind that I will think of this poem whenever I see an artichoke. You spoke to so many similarities and it really works! Loved it. 🙂

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  3. humbird says:

    I loved this anthology of artichoke in your experience…thanks for words of wisdom: ‘don’t judge all artichokes based on one bad one’ ~ so true about people.

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  4. Full of wisdom….every line counts….thank you..

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  5. This is so neat, Victoria. I’ve heard people compared to onions so many times, but artichokes–brilliant!

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  6. lynn__ says:

    Oh, what wonderful advice of how to approach people and artichokes…my mother served them with melted butter, yum! I especially appreciate your verses vi and vii…

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  7. That artichoke can be so many things… a poetry which has to be touched at the core to be understood, a person without knowing whose heart, you can’t judge what is within.
    A beautiful write.
    -HA

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  8. suchled says:

    I spent too much money on some and they were all so dried up inside that they were prickly through to the heart and out again. And artichokes are like that too.

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  9. Susan Chast says:

    I enjoy the slow and tasty unveiling of the core of an artichoke, and thus love the analogy to friendship and discovering the core of a new person in my life.

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  10. Truedessa says:

    The heart of the artichoke is the most tender part. I really like where you went with this so many layers to uncover or discover as in stanza III take your time. I like to cook them with some penne and olive oil.

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  11. Mary says:

    Thanks for the offer re. artichokes you made in my blog. That made me smile, and I will keep it in mind…but really I wouldn’t have a clue what to do to cook artichokes. Your offer, however, touched me.

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  12. ayala says:

    I love the wisdom and the breakdown of this 🙂

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  13. wolfsrosebud says:

    somehow… i think you’re talking about more than artichokes… at least, your reader is

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  14. Grace says:

    This is an ode to the artichoke, from the external to the heart of it ~ I like how you broke it down Victoria, like nuggests of wisdom ~

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  15. Glenn Buttkus says:

    Wow, you really got to the heart of the matter; an overwhelmingly wonderful take on Danny’s artichoke sketch. I like 4th stanza, where you link artichokes, people, & poetry. I, for one, am glad to be reminded that one can discover poetry in all things.

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  16. I LOVE this, from the title, to the human wisdom that crept in among the artichokes. This was a delight to read.

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  17. kanzensakura says:

    I shall never look or eat an artichoke in the same manner again. What a wise poem and yet, not heavy in its tone. but like the artichoke, full of complex simplicity. I definitely savored this poem and shall often think of it.

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  18. Myrna says:

    I never imagined there was so much wisdom in an artichoke. I do love them.

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  19. Really amazing write, Victoria! Didn’t know we humans and artichokes have so much in common… smiles… Yes, it’s very true that we have lots of layers, although most don’t take the time to search deep within, ya know? No patience nowadays…

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  20. Really amazing write, Victoria! Didn’t know we humans and artichokes have so much in common… smiles… Yes, it’s very true that we have lots of layers, although most don’t take the time to search deep within, ya know? No patience nowadays.

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  21. Iremise says:

    Indeed the beauty in people lies on their inside, if we would be patient enough to search them out.
    I loved reading this.

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  22. claudia says:

    ah there’s wonderful wisdom in this one – yes – don’t judge all by one bad one – and take your time with the layers – it is def. worth it

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  23. brian miller says:

    there is a nice wisdom in this…on artichokes, on reading, on people…on time and patience it takes to really understand any of them…and how dangerous a passing glance is….your use of multiple verses stringed together only adds to the layer…

    Like

  24. The time of eating artichokes .. I find the food itself worth savoring.. just like with people it’s all about spending time with them. I love how you draw so many great metaphors from the parallels, and next time they are in season again I will enjoy them with your images in front of me… especially when I reach the heart..

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  25. Each stanza a treat – loved peeling each one and savoring its flavor – lovely!

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  26. Gabriella says:

    This is a wonderful extended metaphor, Victoria. Having grown up in France, I have eaten artichokes a lot of time but must admit that I have not eaten one in a long time – mainly because they are not easy to cook unless you have a pressure cooker.
    But eating them does slow time down, doesn’t it? Just as it takes time to appreciate people beyond the surface.

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  27. Mary says:

    I enjoyed the comparisons you have drawn between artichokes and humans, Victoria. So many good ones…I could go on and on. Indeed, each one is unique, but can get lost in a crowd if someone doesn’t pay attention to each one, someone doesn’t take it in their hands and LOOK, really look…and taste, really taste! You mentioned having a bad experience with an artichoke once & avoided them for a while after that. Me? I didn’t have an opportunity to even TRY a real artichoke until about 15 years ago. And then only one time. Now I sometimes have the canned variety on pizza or something, but much of the richness of artichokes, I am sure, is missing for me…just because they are not so common with the people I grew up with or know now. I especially like the ideas of the layers of an artichoke – compared to people & poetry. This poem is a keeper.

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  28. Ah, the art of the artichoke. Such wisdom is contained in this sustained vegetable meditation. I have only eaten them once – It was such a surprise how much time they take to cook. I must try again.
    Your sequence of little poems is charming.

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