All Summer Long

It was ugly,
a misshapen ball, creviced 
and bulging on one side
as if a hernia had pushed
through the lining just beneath
its skin - I held it in my hands,
lifted it to my nose to get the full
depth of its smell
then took a bite, unleashing
a burst of tomato, sweet, tart,
full flavored 
like the warm, plump, 
blood red ones I would sneak
from the prized crop my father
grew in our backyard
that graced the table
with thick slices of ruddy goodness
sprinkled with salt and pepper
and spread upon a white oval plate
all summer long.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2024

Poem

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Wolf Avatar
June 25, 2024 at 4:26 PM
Ah, again! I sure do remember those incredibly juicy tomatoes. A whole meal in and of themselves. Thanks for bringing them back to life for us here at the Soup, Paul. ~ Gershon
Willason Avatar
June 26, 2024 at 3:47 PM
My pleasure Gershon...pleased that I made them come alive again and stimulate memories taste buds. Thankyou my friend.
Kavanagh  Avatar
June 25, 2024 at 12:05 PM
You have an amazing ability to stir up old memories Paul, I remember on trips to the countryside as a kid, eating messy but extremely delicious tomato sandwiches, funny how they just started appealing to me again after reading this delectable piece, cheers David
Willason Avatar
June 26, 2024 at 3:45 PM
So long as I stir up pleasant memories I can rest easy...value your comments David, good to hear that I can get a poem or two to land on a shared experience. Regards, Paul
M  Avatar
June 25, 2024 at 6:25 AM
Paul….could can even take me on a delightful journey eating a tomato!! Ha…l just love when you write nostalgic poems of childhood and days gone by….your poems give me a sense of calm and real appreciation for the beautiful yet simple things in our lives! That tomato was yummo my friend!! Debx
Willason Avatar
June 26, 2024 at 3:42 PM
Thankyou so much for your kind words dear Deb....so pleased that my poems have such a positive influence. Treasured. Glad that you enjoyed the tomato...saved that one for you. Cheers my friend.
Lane Avatar
June 25, 2024 at 5:48 AM
Your thoughts on tomatoes take me back to my youthful days of living on a farm. We grew several other crops, but summer was devoted to fields of over 40,000 plants. We had help picking but packing them for import was my fondest memory of them. They were washed, sorted by size and then gently dropped in bins for packing. Now and then, one caught my eye and I had to take a bite!
Willason Avatar
June 26, 2024 at 3:37 PM
Feel privileged to have triggered such delightful memories Lin....your childhood on a farm must have made quite an impression...rich and close to the engine room of nature. Such a pleasure to share...take care
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