THE SENSUAL ART OF TOMATO SLICING
by Maren O. Mitchell
Approach expectantly with a thin blade,
serrated, pointed,
long enough to cross the body.
Take your time.
The tomato, succulent salvation of sandwiches,
useable from skin through flesh to seeds,
will tell you where to cut.
No need to chisel, freeing the sculpture within.
Let the knife descend unerringly.
Slices fall upon one another,
wet velvet bound by circular selvage.
Leave nothing. Capture
the escaped liquid and imbibe
the promise of pleasure to come.
Author’s Comment: I love healthy tomatoes. Slicing them, although destructive, is pleasing. I agree with advertising, one can make love to anything.
Bio: Maren O. Mitchell’s poems have appeared in The Arts Journal, Appalachian Journal, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge and The Journal of Kentucky Studies, and she has work forthcoming in The Journal of Kentucky Studies and Southern Humanities Review. She has worked as cataloger at the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site in Flat Rock, NC, and lives with her husband and two cats in the North Georgia Mountains.
Wild Goose Poetry Review 
Maren, you prove that, not only can one make love to anything, but that one can make a poem out of anything! I enjoyed every sensual slice.
I also believe that one can write a valid poem about anything — nothing is too small or “insignificant” to be considered. Thank you, Geoff, for your enjoyment of each slice.
Maren, I loved this one. Freeing the sculpture within is how I approach so many things and try desperately to approach so many more. ~ i
Ian, how can I thank you…? May we all eventually be able to define the within.
Of all things, a tomato, a real tomato, is the perfect subject for a poem. Maren, you do it justice. Thank you.
Thank you, Darnell, for your appreciation. I really DO believe that anything is valid to see as deep as we can for what it may be.
Love this! And Scott, this might be one for a Referential editor challenge. I have a terrific tomato poem that this could “refer” from 🙂
I don’t know what a Referential editor challenge is, but, Jessie, I’m glad you like the poem and sure would like to read your tomato poem.
I was leaving the note for Scott Owens about the editors challenge 😉 Here is one of the poems we have involving tomatoes! http://referentialmagazine.com/contents/poetry/may-2010/the-significance-of-singing-fruit/
Jessie,I checked out the tomato poem, yummy, and your magazine. You must give a lot of people opportunity for a lot of fun!
Thanks Maren! We are having a good time with it 🙂