ancient symbol of Aphrodite
who took a fruity bite
to perfume her kiss
pregnant with creativity
ready to give birth to poetry
a foam of spring flowers unfolds
while autumn’s orbs are gold
pear-shaped and aromatic
pregnant with creativity
ready to give birth to poetry
through branches sunlight glints
off a quickening quince
creating a floodlight of fruit
pregnant with creativity
ready to give birth to poetry
not an earthy apple
green, ruby red or dappled
but a quince from a goddess
pregnant with creativity
ready to give birth to poetry
Kim M. Russell, 17th April 2023
On the seventeenth day of NaPoWriMo, the optional prompt begins with a poem to read, ‘In the Season of Pink Ladies’ by Sayuri Ayers. We are then reminded that poets should know, and use, the precise names for things, which is the point of today’s challenge to write a poem that contains the name of a specific variety of edible plant – preferably one that grows in our area. In the poem, we should make a specific comparison between some aspect of the plant’s lifespan and our own – or the life of someone close to us – and include at least one repeating phrase.
We are blessed to have a quince tree in our garden. Every autumn I marvel at the colour of the fruit and the way it glows in the sunshine. I reworked a poem I wrote for last year’s NaPoWriMo, in which we anthropomorphized a kind of food. If you would like to read that poem, here is a link.
writing in north norfolk 
I found I left a comment on last year’s post. It was a splendid poem then and a memorable one again this second time around. How versatile you are, Kim.
Quince. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen that fruit— “gold pear-shaped and aromatic”
A “floodlight of fruit” is a glorious image.
And so is your repetition line. Love it: “a quince from a goddess
pregnant with creativity ready to give birth to poetry”
So good. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you Selma! I did spot your comment on last year’s post.
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I love quince blossom, but don’t they stink?
(love the refrain too).
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The branches of our tree are so high, I’ve never been able to smell the blossom, Jane! I’ll take your word for it. 🙂
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Beautiful! Love the repetition. In Romania, we keep quince like a candle in the window, to light our way home all winter long.
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That’s a lovely thing to do with quinces, Romana!
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“off a quickening quince” sounds like a dance step to me:)
Beautiful sun lit images Kim.
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Thank you Arti!
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I read this poem to my beloved, who loves Quince so much. Had no idea it was related to Aphrodite. My favourite lines and also find them beautifully connecting are stanza 1 and 7.
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Thank you for reading and sharing, G!oria
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