A couple of weeks ago, I found inspiration for a couple of poems in response to the found photo prompts at Laura Shovan’s blog (where the fun continues). A photo of a “Loaded baked potato” was the prompt for February 14th. That photo plus the fact it was Valentine’s Day and love sonnets were in the air of my brain inspired “Sonnet to a Potato,” a parody of the classic “How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. (You can read the original HERE).
Sonnet to a Potato
(With apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning)
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee boiled, peel-mashed, deep fried as chips
in gravy drowned, sweet, baked, spiced hot with dips.
I laud thee for thy subterranean days,
thy secret growth all hidden from sun’s rays.
Fair starchy flesh, thou’rt comfort to my lips.
They calories they fortify my hips.
Sweet staple nightshade fruit, I give thee praise
for skin of white or yellow, russet, red
for Yukon Gold, Kerr’s pink, purple or blue.
Thou give’s thyself in pancakes, latkes bread
skins, salads, hash browns, scalloped, soup and stew.
Though sometimes called tater or spud instead
to thee, Potato, my taste buds stay true!
© 2016 by Violet Nesdoly (All rights reserved)
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This post is linked to Poetry Friday, where you’ll find all kinds of delectable poetic fare. PF is hosted today by Elizabeth Steinglass.
Violet Nesdoly 
Love this, so clever, Violet,!
I hope Elizabeth doesn’t feel scalloped over The hash you’ve made out of her original…
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Oh Dawn, you’re too funny – “scalloped” and “hash” indeed! 🙂
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Violet, how do I love a potato-not on my hips! Delightful poem with a heartfelt image!
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Tater love is one of the best kinds, Violet. Your poem made me smile… AND made me hungry!
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Hilarious and so well done! This is my favorite line: I laud thee for thy subterranean days,
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My kind of poem. So clever!
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Fun poem, Violet. Most especially those calorie fortified hips! Gotta love a spud!
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This was my favorite of all the loaded potato poems!
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Thank you, Mary Lee! I wasn’t writing with all of you last week as I was busy with other things. I always enjoy the variety of ideas the same photo brings out.
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I’m glad you made us smile by writing to this prompt this month, Violet. Potato love on that day abounded. Who knew such a food could rival Browning? Thanks for coming by my post. I became somehow blocked from Liz’s site after I posted, so have been unable to see who else is there! Tech-so strange.
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Growing up, a meal was not a meal without potatoes; I’m smiling at the reminiscence that basically I could easily count the ways my mother prepared them; I wish she had read your many ways boiled-alternatives. Regardless, my comfort-seeking taste buds could easily live without meat, but not possibly at all without potatoes.Thank you for lauding a potato as only a poetry virtuoso like you possibly could! Others might have ended with a half-baked sonnet, not you! Thanks, and God bless you!
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I love this, but you’ve made me hungry on a Sunday evening! What can I do but repay your sonnet with one of mine? http://friendlyfairytales.com/2013/12/14/sonnet-to-a-cabbage/ LOL I think we are destined for friendship.
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Ah Brenda, I read your sonnet to a cabbage… delightful! Vegetables lend themselves so well to parodies of classic sonnets. Well done!!
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Yes! You, too. Your Sonnet to a Potato is masterful and appetizing. 🙂
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