Best Tamale Poems
My favorite Poetry Soup poet, the most honorable L Milton Hankins
His avatar is predominately on the home page, he’s the big tamale
Obey grammar rules and suggestions or you’ll get written spankins
No matter who you are, or where you’re from, the U.S.A. or Somali
A great mentor; informs us about syntax, if you know how to spell well
“Addicted to unnecessary words” superfluous on any subject, in all forms
“Sasquatch” to stirring “Apple Butter” renowned for his fav—the villanelle
Painting lovely scenes in the City of Lights “Christmas at Paris” he adorns
Says it’s so nice to be complimented, it always makes his innards squirm
Distracted by a miserable bully, while enjoying his time here at the Soup
I only get three stanzas, otherwise an essay I’d write like for a mid-term
Or I’d tell you more of the poetess dishing out nasty like a nincompoop!
The journey began in Kigali,
but came to an end at Denali:
it started off Rocky,
but downed with some Sake,
grilled moose makes the perfect tamale.
Potato chip, I love you up,
my darling little buttercup.
A cup! A Reese’s chocolate one
with peanut butter. Oh, what fun!
What fun is time with nacho chips;
delightful cheese to tease my lips.
My lips around a hamburger,
with onion rings my heart to stir.
Stir the chili in the pot.
Add Tabasco; cook it hot.
Hot, that snack I love so well,
is buttered popcorn that I smell.
Smell the pasta fantasy-
sauce and parmesan for me.
Me and cheesecake, cherries atop.
Once I start, I cannot stop.
Stop for ice cream; what I wish-
a sundae sitting in a dish.
Dish me up some southern fried
with mashed potatoes on the side.
A side of bacon, crispy fat.
I see nothing wrong in that!
That’s a spicy hot tamale.
Enchiladas make me jolly.
Jolly Christmas; candies sweet,
turkey, ham; so much to eat.
Eat a pizza. It’s the best.
Now I’ve gotta take a rest.
Potato chip, I love you up,
my darling little buttercup.
A cup! A Reese’s chocolate one
with peanut butter. Oh, what fun!
What fun is time with nacho chips;
delightful cheese to tease my lips.
My lips around a hamburger,
with onion rings my heart to stir.
Stir the chili in the pot.
Add Tabasco; cook it hot.
Hot, that snack I love so well,
is buttered popcorn that I smell.
Smell the pasta fantasy-
sauce and parmesan for me.
Me and cheesecake, cherries atop.
Once I start, I cannot stop.
Stop for ice cream; what I wish-
a sundae sitting in a dish.
Dish me up some southern fried
with mashed potatoes on the side.
A side of bacon, crispy fat.
I see nothing wrong in that!
That’s a spicy hot tamale.
Enchiladas make me jolly.
Jolly Christmas; candies sweet,
turkey, ham; so much to eat.
Eat a pizza. It’s the best.
Now I’ve gotta take a rest.
(An oldie of mine where I tried to make each new couplet start with the word at the end of previous couplet)
For Juliet Ligon's 'Most Original' Poetry Contest
Alber’s Tamale Pie, Australian Meat Pie, Apple Pie, Amish Country Strawberry Pie,
Bacon Pie, Bean Pie, Boston Cream Pie, Butterfinger Pie, Banana Cream Pie, Blueberry Pie,
Chicken Pot Pie, Crunchy Carmel Apple Pie, Chocolate Chip Pie, Chocolate Pudding Pie,
Date Pecan Pie, Date Custard Pie, Dutch Apple Pie, Date-nut Pie, Date Cream Pie,
Egg and Bacon Pie, Egg Custard Pie, Eggnog Pie,
Figgie Pudding Pie, Fig Pecan Pie, Fig Sweet Dough Pie, French Silk Pie.
German Onion Pie, Grandma’s Egg Custard Pie, Gluten Free Apple Pie,
Ham, Leek & Potato Pie, Ham and Spinach Pie, Ham and Eggs Pie, Heavenly Pie,
Iberian Chicken Pie, Irish Shepherd’s Pie, Italian Sausage Pie, Impossible Pie,
Jolean's Butterscotch Pie (Pennsylvania Dutch Style), Jelly Cream Pie, Jelly Bean Pie,
Kiss Pie, http://picky-palate.com/2010/12/20/kiss-pies/
Layered Chicken Enchilada Pie, Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie, Lemon Meringue Pie,
Mile-High Cabbage Pie, Mint Chocolate Chip Pie, Mississippi Mud Pie,
Nacho Pot Pie, Nutter Butter Frozen Peanut Butter Pie, Nummy Easy Key Lime Pie,
One Bowl Brownie Pie, Old Fashion Buttermilk Pie, Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Pie,
Pumpkin Pie, Pork Pie, Pink Lemonade Pie, Peach Pie, Pineapple Refrigerator Pie,
Que Passa, What’s up? No Q-Pies? Oops! Quiche' Pie!
Red Velvet-Woopies Pie, Rhubarb Custard Pie, Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Pie,
Stove Top Tamale Pie, Spinach Ricotta Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, Strawberry Fudge Pie,
Turkey Pot Pie, Tomato Pie, Tater Tot Chicken Pie, Tofu Dream Pudding Pie,
U Won’t Believe It Chicken & Broccoli Pie, believe it or not, it’s a pie!
Vegetable Pie, Vegan Pumpkin Pie,
Weight Watcher’s Shepherd’s Pie, White Chocolate No-Bake Cheesecake Pie,
Xanax Pie. Yep! That’s what they call it! http://www.medschat.com/topics/xanax-pie/
Yellow Squash Pie and Yellow Yogurt Pie
Zucchini Crescent Pie, Zucchini Squash Pie, Zebra Cream Pie, and Zebra Pie…enjoy!
Written For Poetry Soup Member Contest: A Plentitude of Pies
October 16, 2014
I am that I am
I am the way to your long forgotten dreams
I have been visited by so many people before you
And shall continue to get visitors after you
I am no home to you so think me not as one
I am a tree blessed with sweet fruits and a good shade
My shade is just below me for you rest without any wrestle
But my fruits are far away in my branches which you can not get without any hassle
Those who come for my fruits will surely go home with a sample
Such are the people with believe and struggle
I have lead thousands of people to their way
And many has gone astray
Willy-nilly, you sailed your boat to the Isle of the blessed
And such a place is no home to the willy
Dilly-dally, you shall walk through the valley of darkness
"Against the darkness I raised such a bright light"
"And first made clear the use of your life"
"Glory of my existence follow me"
"And set your footsteps now on my sure way"
Not as a contender but as a learner
I am your mother and finder of things as they are
And present them to you as a fatherly teachings
I have no father
But I do have a mother
Who gave birth to ten of us with no brother
I am a place where you can't come for a picnic
But those who stay outside think of me as a nut milk
Who am I?
I am Tamale Polytechnic
A place where you will acquire not only the skill but with the technique
I am an academic institution
With a rich constitution
To govern my people in the right direction
Hot Tamale
By Dane Smith-Johnsen
Man from
Guatemala,
Educator-
Hot tamale.
Lessons learned
Adoration churned.
Another’s love
A young heart burned.
From darkest fear,
You drew love near.
Esteem encroached.
By promises cloaked.
Straightforward.
Real. Life had zeal.
It was a huge ordeal.
Living had been.
Battered by sin
Until that day,
You ran my way.
My mind would mend.
Subdued was evils’ trend.
As fears were peeled,
You taught me to feel.
Numbness and pain,
No longer could gain.
Death’s grip on my soul,
Lost its control.
Stifling hurt desired demise.
You pierced my heart.
Oh, those jet black eyes.
Kindness bequeathed.
New hope dearly reached.
The man from
Guatemala,
“My Honey”
Hot tamale.
Through love,
Helped me find.
Myself. Now, I live.
Written for: Christopher Higgins' "Get Your Rebel On!!" contest
Floating Market on the River
A Thailand tradition
Large sun umbrellas
And boat roofs or hoods
And Asian conical hats
A bucket of cracked brown egg shells
A grandma quickly whips up
Egg, oyster and fresh, crisp bean sprout
In rice flour batter
Raw and cooked food
Vendors sell garden produce
And cooked food
Prepared right before one’s eyes
Plantain, banana, bean sprouts
Breadfruit
Coconut sugar, syrup and fresh coconut
Poof- a cloud of smoke surround the cook
Another vendor grills meat on skewers
She makes chicken, liver and sticky rice
Tart and sweet star fruit
Steamed sticky rice, coconut milk , sugar and banana inside its leaf
A sweet Thailand tamale
A live band: saxophonist, keyboardist and vocalist plays for donations
Fried quell egg
Fresh and dried spices
Fresh and dried sea food: shrimp, fish
Grilled scallop
Cooked noodles
Cooked squid, prawn, crab and fish
Green papaya salad
Boat brewed coffee
Soda pop
Distilled water
Tea
Beer
Blood cake
Pork
Rice noodles
Marckincia Jean
Free verse
09/30/19
She was as sexy as sexy can be
Body undulating like the sea
Hips gyrating at the speed of sound
Billowing breasts holding gawkers spellbound
Legs as shapely as candy canes
Inviting as a decanter of fine champagne
Lips so enticing that some have said
Their natural hue was deep ruby red
So what she had three eyes, five ears and a tail
All and all, she was a real hot tamale
Just what you'd expect from a Picasso origina-le!
November 18, 2018
Entry in "Sexy Poetry" contest
Sponsor: Lewis Rayes
LO LO-LI TA
GLAD TO ME-ET YA
YOU TINY YOUTHFULL THING
MY FA JITA
SPICY AND SWEET
WITH A TOUCH OF SMART
YOU LEAVE YOUR MARK
ON YOUR CANVAS
AND OUR HEART
LO LO
LO LO
YOU ARE MY
HOT TAMALE
COMBO
COMBO.
R
R
NOT LO LO
NO NO
OH LOLLO
YOU SO SO
Christmas has it's candy canes and chocolate Santa Claus doll
Easter with it's Peeps and jelly bird eggs can get a little dull
But do you recall the greatest candy Holiday of all...
Through the dark of night guided by a dim flashlight
going house to house with an earnest plea
As your hand clutches your treasured bag
disguised and masked to fool all
Haunted by witches goblins ghouls monsters, pirates
and a pink fairy, you step up to each door and knock
As it creeps open an over joyful adult in an ill fitting costume
waits for your magic chant of "Trick or Treat" before they add
to your heavy bag, bursting with candies you eagerly
flee to the next houses garnished with morbid and spooky
decorations to add to your sweet booty.
Finally your inner time clock tells you to weave your way home
through the darken street crowded with costume children and parents
and the dreaded teenager lurking to spot a stray and steal their candy
But you had a plan route and made it home safe into your locked room
upon your bed you spill forth the bounty of a nights loot
Root beer barrels and candy corn
circus peanuts and licorice give to mom and dad
For you got a Whopper and Reese cups a Kit Kat or two
Mike and Ike and good ole Baby Ruth
Snickers, Heaths and Junior Mints
What a Pay Day looks like a 100 Grand
Twizzlers and Skittles and Lemon Heads
Starburst and tootsie rolls overflow your bed
Nestle Crunch and Krackle and a 3 Musketeers
Hershey Kisses and Sweet Tarts to share
Wax candies and Milk Duds and jelly beans
Airheads with jawbreakers makes you scream
Snickers, Butterfingers and Lolli pops
Twixs and Milky Ways and even a box of Dots
Smarties and Zeros a Hot Tamale or two
Jolly Ranchers and Chuckles and Sour Patch Kids rude
Blow Pops, Runts, Nerds Laffy Taffy on my bed
M&M's, Stripes gum and a Mr. Goodbar
The greatest Halloween haul by far
So many gums and jellies and chews
chocolates, marshmallows and gummy bears too
Halloween a sugar treat for every dentist and kid
That night I slept with my candy in my bed.
After Chican@ Literature 100
First of all, you are not going to find this stuff at the mall, sitting on a shelf next to a t-shirt that says, “I only look illegal”. There is no magic potion from the curandera to help you speak in your Father’s native tongue so that Navidad isn’t awkward for your family while you unwrap your tamale in silence because eres una verguenza. But still, you knew, learning math was more important than saying “Gracias” and “si senor” because you could always learn that later. And no, la pinche vecina did not perform brujeria so that one day we would be brain-washed in the classrooms full of gringos and forget about our roots by graduation. And we worked twice as hard as them, and while mami and papi prayed to the Virgen de Guadalupe, we stapled our hearts to every test, every quiz, and every assignment till there was no more room on the paper for failure; and finally, finally, we received our American diploma en la mano.
red rice risotto
roasted ripe rutabaga
raised raisin roll-up
saucy soup saucer
sloppy spaghetti supper
sweet summer sipper
tempting twisted tea
tomato tossed tamale
turtle topped torte
7/22/2020
Contest: Let the Pens Flow - Alliteration
Sponsor: Jenish Somadas
Greetings for the New Year and the joy in everyone,
Sing a song to welcome in the year,
Celebrate the stroke of twelve and have a little fun,
Share a laugh and spread a little cheer.
All your friends are with you now, like a year ago,
Wishing you and yours a bright new day,
All your dreams are calling you, like the virgin snow,
Comforts in a Winter sort of way.
Lots of food has been prepared, for a hungry group,
Have a seat with those who came before,
Try a hot tamale and some sweet tortilla soup,
If you want then have a little more.
If your resolution is to lose a little weight,
New Year’s Day is only for a while,
Life is what we make of it, a serving on your plate,
Justifies the sunshine in your smile.
Now it’s time to go to sleep, but you talk instead,
Good friends always do to pass the night,
Have another piece of pie despite the things you said,
And fall asleep before the morning light.
The waiter: short, surly and brusque;
in the air, hung a slight scent of musk.
Natasha’s Cantina:
with Masa Harina,
crime’s perfection, wrapped in a cornhusk.
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I promise I won't do another tamale