{"id":5552,"date":"2012-09-17T10:53:34","date_gmt":"2012-09-17T14:53:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/monkeymind\/?p=5552"},"modified":"2012-09-17T10:53:34","modified_gmt":"2012-09-17T14:53:34","slug":"ode-to-tomatoes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/monkeymind\/2012\/09\/ode-to-tomatoes.html","title":{"rendered":"Ode to Tomatoes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a>Ode To Tomatoes <\/p>\n

Pablo Neruda<\/p>\n

The street
\nfilled with tomatoes,
\nmidday,
\nsummer,
\nlight is
\nhalved
\nlike
\na
\ntomato,
\nits juice
\nruns
\nthrough the streets.
\nIn December,
\nunabated,
\nthe tomato
\ninvades
\nthe kitchen,
\nit enters at lunchtime,
\ntakes
\nits ease
\non countertops,
\namong glasses,
\nbutter dishes,
\nblue saltcellars.
\nIt sheds
\nits own light,
\nbenign majesty.
\nUnfortunately, we must
\nmurder it:
\nthe knife
\nsinks
\ninto living flesh,
\nred
\nviscera
\na cool
\nsun,
\nprofound,
\ninexhaustible,
\npopulates the salads
\nof Chile,
\nhappily, it is wed
\nto the clear onion,
\nand to celebrate the union
\nwe
\npour
\noil,
\nessential
\nchild of the olive,
\nonto its halved hemispheres,
\npepper
\nadds
\nits fragrance,
\nsalt, its magnetism;
\nit is the wedding
\nof the day,
\nparsley
\nhoists
\nits flag,
\npotatoes
\nbubble vigorously,
\nthe aroma
\nof the roast
\nknocks
\nat the door,
\nit\u2019s time!
\ncome on!
\nand, on
\nthe table, at the midpoint
\nof summer,
\nthe tomato,
\nstar of earth, recurrent
\nand fertile
\nstar,
\ndisplays
\nits convolutions,
\nits canals,
\nits remarkable amplitude
\nand abundance,
\nno pit,
\nno husk,
\nno leaves or thorns,
\nthe tomato offers
\nits gift
\nof fiery color
\nand cool completeness.<\/p>\n