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Some Say Tomato

A Collection of Poems of, about or around the Tomato

"Put 'em on the side, put 'em in the middle.
Put homegrown tomatoes on a hotcake griddle."

Poetry by Rita Dove, Al Young, Maxine Kumin, John McCutcheon, William Stafford, Mariflo Stephens and more.

Some Say Tomato also contains recipes for Fried Green Tomatoes, Tomato Coulis and Cream of Tomato Soup.


Tomato Fight
By Ellen Kort

I don't know what started it
Maybe it was the heat of late summer
Or the fact that we were standing
In the garden     sucking the warm blood
Of tomatoes     pretending to be
Tribal warriors eating the hearts
Of our enemies     taking in their strength
And power     I think at first we were
Dancing     the urge of roots     a need
For brightness     red-winged dance
Of skin and flesh     ripening seeds
Bursting inside the belly of tomatoes
Inside the dark and secret heart
You threw one then     a crimson slash
Against my white blouse     and I commended
Myself for my quick far-flung response
We couldn't stop     it was delicious
All that sweetness     the scarlet nectar
The musky tissued flesh     unhinged from
Its skin     how the red body so easily splits
In two     opens its strong young thighs

To get your copy, send your check for $12
to Northwood Press, 104 West High Street,
Charlottesville, VA 22902.
Shipping costs are included.