The Ode has ancient roots tracing back to the Greek poets, Horace and Sappho. Traditionally, the ode was written in multiple quatrains, but over the years it has been flexed and shaped according to the whim of the poet. No matter its structure, the ode remains a celebration of who and what we love.
Check out this month’s themed playlist. We’re enjoying it so much we think it’s a bit like an ode to the ode. Listen along with us!
Speaking of what we love, is there anything quite like a bowl of Rice Krispies? If you think about it, it’s the only cereal that can hold a conversation. Its praises are shouted among the gluten-free. Marshmallow treats stir fond, sticky memories of childhood (or memories of the batch you made last Tuesday). Who among us pours a midnight bowl of crisped rice, or has chosen it for dinner instead?
Poetry Prompt:
Write a poem about Rice Krispies, or your favorite cereal. What makes it stand high above the crowded shelves of the grocery store? The structure can be the classic quatrain, or you can choose to write it flowing free— right from the box.
Thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s poetry prompt. Here’s a recent poem by Maureen that we enjoyed:
Red Dust, Spanish Lace
The bull cannot resist
the lure of the muleta.
In his last act, the matador
makes a pass and turns
the dust red. Long after
the bull goes to ground
the senorita puts a hand
to her neck, withdraws
the steel shaft of the lace
pin securing her mantilla.
The veil at last dropped,
he kisses the only blemish
adorning her olive skin.
—by Maureen Doallas
Photo by mjtmail, Creative Commons license via Flickr. Post by Heather Eure.
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Sometimes we feature your poems in Every Day Poems, with your permission of course. Thanks for writing with us!
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Heather Eure
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Nancy Franson says
So tempted. So very, very tempted by this one 🙂
Nancy Franson says
Oh Captain, my captain;
Skipper of cereal crunch . . .
Heather Eure says
haha! Nice!
Sandra Heska King says
😀
SimplyDarlene says
I need to go eat breakfast first…
Richard Maxson says
Rice Krispies
One must have a mind of milk,
all the colors must be yours,
to regard the sounds of breakfast,
the box or window in your eye,
strange and listless yet, painted
on the world, not in the world itself.
Last night’s dreams, though gone,
have left the empty room of dreaming,
in which you sit contemplating elves,
who speak to you with their wisps of air
rising in the bowl of milk, sounds from
milk and rice, yet neither rice nor milk alone.
Do not ask what is it, but listen there
awhile to what is said; listen without
thinking, distant from the world of words.
SimplyDarlene says
my favorite lines:
have left the empty room of dreaming,
in which you sit contemplating elves
blessings.
Anne says
I also like “milk and rice, yet neither rice nor milk alone.”
It speaks a bit of alchemy.
Heather Eure says
“milk and rice, yet neither rice nor milk alone.”
Indeed. I like that.
Twirlingtoes says
To the Cereal they call “Life”
How fair art thou, dear box of “Life”,
Who gives me joy with each new bite
Your tender and frail body stands
With gentle crunch that each piece lends.
Each morning when I wake you stare
At me from a-way up there.
For from the refrigerator top
You call and down from there you drop.
But,today I should have something new!
Some eggs, some toast, so, stop it you!
But though I try and break away,
Alas, you’ve won by end of day.
Fair art thou o box of “Life”,
To me you lessen all life’s strife.
You create and bring me joy anew,
Now come and let me gobble you.
Heather Eure says
John Keats would be proud!
Megan Willome says
On rare occasions of childhood, I got Cinnamon Life. Those were the best mornings.
Maureen Doallas says
Who doesn’t love a food that can talk?
My thanks to the Wiki researchers and Kellogg’s own online history, taglines, characters, and songs.
______________
Snap! Crackle! Pop!
Piff! Paff! Puff!
Knisper! Knasper! Knusper!
Pim! Pam! Pum!
Rice Krispies, Ricicles:
by any other name
would you be so sweet,
you’re the taste that tickles,
yes, you’re no wheat treat!
Banana Bubbles for the Aussies,
Razzle Dazzle here at home
but Coco Pops in the UK
‘cause free Canada’s got its own.
Riks! Raks! Poks!
Cric! Crac! Croc!
Pif! Paf! Pof!
Knap! Knaetter! Knak!
Yes, milk makes you noisy
when it’s stirred
into the bowl, and your food-
coloring additives leave
mothers feeding woe.
Know what a box of fun
Apple Cinnamon might be?
Don’t leave the fruit all soggy;
transport it fresh but once
for me.
So, Ho Ho Holiday
and Halloween orange
don’t label your promises
and set off FTC’s alarms.
Be you English or Swedish
or a French gendarme,
if your childhood is calling,
marshmallow’s surely the charm.
You’re in German and Finnish,
make a Dutch edition, too;
talk in Afrikaans, go to Ireland,
double as snacks in berry blue.
What more variety
could any kids want?
Oh, let’s call it a rice day;
they’ll bounce themselves till lunch.
Heather Eure says
“They’ll bounce themselves till lunch”
That gave me a good snort-laugh.
You really did do your research, Maureen! I recognize those words from my own bit of fieldwork on the subject.
Love it!
Parker Nash says
Well done…I think you are better at rhyming than you give yourself credit for.
SimplyDarlene says
I’ve been waiting all day to read this! What are some bowls of soggy cereal to the queen of poetic candy talk?
😉
SimplyDarlene says
That comment was aimed at miss Maureen, by the way.
Maureen Doallas says
Thank you, Darlene. Rhyming doesn’t come naturally to me so it took me a while to get the words out. (I see I had a little breakdown in the middle.)
I had not known until I did a bit of research how many varieties of Rice Krispies (Ricicles, Rice Bubbles) existed and that Kellogg’s was called on the carpet by FTC for its claims that the cereal is healthful. Red, green, orange dyes? Bad, bad Kellogg’s. Not to mention the sugar highs.
The Wiki-ites provided the non-English versions of “Snap! Crackle! Pop!”. (They didn’t translate here into their italics.) I’ve woven in a couple of taglines Kellogg’s uses.
Did you know there were characters or that Woody Woodpecker was once the spokes-marketer for the cereal?
I’ve never touched the stuff but it makes for fun copy.
SimplyDarlene says
Miss Maureen, I can remember eating homemade Rice Krispy Treats as a kid — before my insulin-dependent diabetes diagnosis, that is.
And the artificial yuckiness: gahggg.
Anne says
Ode to Life (the Cereal)
Craved Life Cereal at 3:00 am;
crept quietly downstairs
small kitchen light glowing
over the stove.
The refrigerator lurched open,
the milk so cold.
Swimming through the air,
avoiding the clink
of the spoon on the ceramic,
I shook the Life squares loose,
and they fell willingly
slightly sweetening the milk
softening in anticipation.
Heather Eure says
“…and they fell willingly” Life does exist in the wee hours of the morning. Thanks, Anne!
Lisa says
nice ending!
Anne says
Thank you, Lisa and Heather, for commenting!
Parker Nash says
Liked this….felt like I was right there…great imagery.
SimplyDarlene says
So – it’s seven of
March and National Cereal Appreciation
Day – or some such thing. My husband
and my son are privy to cereal consumption,
organic and free of white sugar (or red or blue
or green) are the rules. And no dairy because
of the mucus. Eewww.
Rice or almond or hemp milk will do – even
homemade banana milk – but no moo moo.
And me? I partake not of the cereal
box. Rather whole oats, soaked, alongside
chia seeds in a glass jar
overnight with rice milk and raw
honey to spike the health
benefits
and raise the blood sugar – don’t forget to dial
in extra insulin on your pump, momma dear.
I’ll listen (from afar)
to your crack
snapple
pop – or some such Krispy tune
as your cereal sings accolades on
this National Cereal Appreciation
Day.
Monica Sharman says
Really? National Cereal Appreciation Day? They should have a National Homemade Granola Day. 🙂
lynndiane says
Ode to Oatmeal
(recipe for disaster in quatrain verse)
slow cook this hearty hot porridge
stir in sweetest honey and cream
if bears come to breakfast, oh horridge,
we shall hear dear Goldilocks scream
as trespasser flees house in a rush
papa growls over big bowl of mush:
“on warm servings of girls and oatmeal put dibs,
they’re both full of fiber and will stick to your ribs!”
Anne says
Love the form and the word “horridge”!
Parker Nash says
I also liked how you coined “horridge”…something Ogden Nash would do.
Parker Nash says
With apologies to an old SNL skit…
Ode to Raisin Bran
Raisin Bran is of an ilk
To amplify itself in milk
Then work its magic, so clandestine
To loosen up a snarled intestine
As I grow old my tastes grow plain
To live a life devoid of pain
What joy! What bliss! So on, et cetera
Raisin Bran’s my raison d’etre