poetry friday roundup: coffee and donuts edition

~ jama

“To find inner peace, search deep inside yourself. Is there a donut there? If not, take corrective action.” ~ Anonymous

When the going gets tough, the tough eat donuts —

(and they read good poems). 🙂

Welcome to Poetry Friday at Alphabet Soup!

I was thinking the other day — as aging dessert maniacs conscientious bloggers are wont to do — about the guilt factor that comes with eating sweets.

With age and unceremoniously acquired girth, this guilt steadily increases. Bad for your health! Too much sugar!  Put that cookie down. Now.

Sigh.

Times are tough. What’s a non-smoking teetotaler supposed to do? Why, pick up a copy of The Book of Donuts, of course! This delightfully sprinkled confection of a poetry anthology, edited by Jason Lee Brown and Shanie Latham, contains fifty-four poems by fifty-one poets for your nibbling, chewing, scarfing, and feasting pleasure.

And every single one of them is calorie free!

The poems do brim with emotion, insight, reflection, and candor, illuminating how this humble pastry figures in our everyday lives.

Today I’m happy to share a sample poem by Seattle-based poet Martha Silano, who so artfully describes that sense of deprivation many of us feel. I’m just glad I don’t live near a Voodoo Doughnut shop, or I’d be in BIG trouble.

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“Krispy Kreme Dozen” by Joel Penkman (2011)

 

What can I say that hasn’t been said

about the old-fashioned glazed, the buttermilk bar,
the feather boa, the maple blazer blunt? Truth is,

I eat them rarely, less than once a year. I hadn’t
considered my ascetic life till I sat opposite

a woman smiling and moaning as she licked
each spoonful of tiramisu. What’s become

of the kid who ate so much Rocky Road
she made herself sick? I want to be that girl,

oblivious of the connection between indulgence
and a thigh’s girth, between powder-sugared lips

and the needle on a scale, but I am so far gone,
so not a sensualist as I jog past Voodoo Donut

where the bearded and the tattooed, the pierced
and the ski-capped, wait for their Dirty Snowballs,

their Tangfastics, their Raspberry Romeos.
I’ve overdue for a Pot Hole, a Diablos Rex,

to down an entire bag of Sprinkle Cakes,
my mouth transformed to an icing rainbow.

Where is that me who raced to the front door
when her uncle showed up with the box

of Dunkin’ Donuts, eager to devour the goopiest
jelly, the most velvety Bavarian Kreme?

~  by Martha Silano, from The Book of Donuts, edited by Jason Lee Brown & Shanie Latham (Terrapin Books, 2017).

Voodoo Doughnuts photo by Anna Maybach/5280)

*

Like Martha, I might eat a donut at most once a year. Of all the treats out there, I feel guiltiest about donuts. Yes, I ate one of the donut props in the first photo. I dutifully made this great sacrifice on your behalf. 😀

What’s your relationship with donuts? What is your favorite kind?

After you’ve licked the glaze off your fingers, please add your links to Mr Linky below. Enjoy all the posts by your fellow poetry lovers. Thanks for joining us this week!

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♥ BOOK GIVEAWAY WINNERS! ♥

Thanks to all who entered the last two book giveaways.

Here are the winners:

For PIZZA DAY, the winner is Candace at Beth Fish Reads!

For AGUA, AGÜITA/WATER, LITTLE WATER, the winner is Diane Mayr!!

Congratulations, Candace and Diane!! Please send along your snail mail addresses so we can dispatch your books.

Thanks again, everyone. Another giveaway coming up next Friday. 🙂

*

 

Hand-signed Donut print available from Kendyll Hillegas’s Etsy Shop
Another cup of coffee for the road?

 

🍩 ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!! ☕️

Copyright © 2017 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.

56 thoughts on “poetry friday roundup: coffee and donuts edition”

  2. These donuts have amazing names. I’m not a huge fan, but I’d have to try a maple blazer blunt! I appreciate your sacrifice in consuming one of these beauties and also your hosting this week. Thanks for another delicious post!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. YUM! I’ve been having a donut-hankering lately; must have been for this post and the delicious donut poetry. What a great idea for a collection! Glazed blueberry and maple are faves, and apple fritters, which we always called “apple uglies” growing up…. What is Mr. C’s favorite flavor?
    [Oh, and thank you, Dearest Jama, for sacrificing on our behalf!]

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Oh, Jama, what a post! Goopy jelly donuts are to die for! Alas, I, too, have been forced to restrain myself somewhat. Thanks for the extra surprise of finding I’m the Agua/Agüita winner! A very nice start to my 3-day weekend!

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Thank you for hosting Jama and despite your sugary exultations I remain steadfast in my resistance to all forms of ‘doughnutery/donutery.’ Must admit though, I did enjoy the Martha Silano’s poem.

    Liked by 3 people

  7. I love the pairing of Wonder Woman, coffee and a donut. Somehow was reminiscent of certain jokes about law enforcement… But I like the idea that it’s okay for women to eat something besides salad. I don’t take my kids for donuts nearly as often as they would like. Maybe once in the summer on a long trip. DD always have bathrooms.

    Liked by 2 people

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  9. Thanks for hosting Jama, and for spotlighting this book – I’m so glad to finally see it! I had submitted a poem earlier this year, but didn’t get in…and had no idea what it was going to look like. Happy for those who made it, though – it looks as good as they taste!

    Liked by 2 people

  10. Oh, man! I’m drooling all over my keyboard! We’ve got a new donut gig in town that is irresistible. They’re still just selling out of a food truck, but with flavors like creme brûlée and orange cardamom and mulled cider old-fashioned with bourbon caramel…well, what’s a girl to do?!?! (Stay away from the food truck, right?!?!) Nom. Oh…great poem, too! Thanks for hosting! I have a little surprise for you at my place. Check it out!

    Liked by 3 people

  12. When Dunkin’ Donuts came to town, there were traffic jams, but now (I think) there is only one left. We do have some wonderful local shops and yes, we have VooDoo Donuts. It is quite a place, and we usually only go when guests are here from out of town. They are delicious! My favorite is caramel bacon! I’m glad I don’t live near, Jama, but the book sounds like a marvelous substitute! Thanks very much for hosting!

    Liked by 2 people

  13. Pardon my drool… Okay, I’ve pulled myself together now. At least long enough to thank you for sharing such an appetizing poem~ I will try my hardest not to detour to the nearest Krispy Kreme for poetic research tomorrow morning, Jama. But if I succumb, it’s all your fault. 😉 Just sayin’….

    Liked by 2 people

  14. Great post, and I love Martha’s poem! Donuts are big in Japan now, and there are three donut specialty shops too close to my house–at one I love the black sesame and green tea donuts, at another the Okinawan black sugar variety, and at yet another the lemon donuts. The black sesame is my current favorite.

    Liked by 2 people

  15. Oh, I feel for that poor author! I love doughnuts. Here in Buffalo, land of naughty foods, we have a great place – Paula’s Donuts. Check it out here – http://bit.ly/2i0CpiJ. So delicious. I am a sucker for the white cream and white cream with jelly…or a good cinnamon or even a French cruller…those were my favorite as a child, when Mom or Dad would bring a white and pink and orange box home from Dunkin Donuts. But now I want to visit Mary Lee and go to the food truck. Thank you for this post. It really made me smile…and made me hungry, as you always do, Jama! ps – We went to NYC the other week and this one place had a doughnut sundae – like a sandwich! You choose the doughnut, ice cream, toppings (Nutella?) and off you go. Crazy! xxxx

    Liked by 2 people

    2. Doughnut sundaes sound over the top decadent! Your entire comment had me drooling, Amy. I’m kind of glad I don’t live near Paula’s Donuts — their stuff looks to die for.

      Like

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  18. Donuts so round and yummy
    I’m opening wide
    To place you in my tummy!🍩

    I’m waxing poetic this morning! My favorite is jelly! Thanks for a mouth watering blog. Joanne p.s. I’m definitely visiting my local Dunkin Donuts today.

    Liked by 3 people

  19. Donuts are a huge temptation for me. Here in Louisiana when Mardi Gras season comes around, the donut shops make King Cakes. These are to die for. And possible literally. I have a favorite bakery (Meche’s) that is so hard to resist. I’ll satisfy my craving with one small bite. Your pictures are mouth watering. Thanks for hosting PF today.

    Liked by 2 people

  20. I’m going to have my coffee as soon as I leave this comment. I can smell it brewing. And now I want a sugary donut to go with it! All thanks to you and this lickity, luscious post, Jama 😀
    I love maple-iced! But then a great glazed is hard to beat. Oh…and a crispy apple fritter. We have the BEST apple fritters at a donut shop here.
    I think it’s pretty clear that I love donuts. But I rarely have one, due to “the needle on a scale.”
    Loved the poem.

    Liked by 2 people

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  22. Oh so yum, but man, now I’m mad about the muffins I just pulled out of the oven. Because they are not donuts. I am inspired to eat whatever donuts come my way–or pączki–or elephant ears–or whatever other fried dough concoction flirts with me, myfitnesspal be darned.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. My sweet tooth is zinging – in the best way possible. Delicious post, Jama. I’m glad you featured this anthology because I submitted to it, but alas did not get accepted. I suppose that is not surprising as I am not familiar with any of the flavors mentioned in Ms. Silano’s poem – I’m showing my age! My favorite donut is the classic chocolate with chocolate icing and chopped peanuts. Mmmmm…

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Oh Jama! I’m seriously craving for Dunkin Donuts after reading your post. I live right across the store and the only thing that’s stopping me right now is whether or not I’m willing to battle this chilly windy morning. I feel insanely cold. But I’ve got to say, Martha Silano’s poem is sweet and inspiring!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks for your kind words about my poem. One of my saving graces is NOT living close to a donut shop, but today my daughter and I are making a pilgrimage to our favorite local spot, Top Pot.

      Liked by 1 person

  27. Yes, yeast and cake donuts!! Given those up long time ago but do indulge with a bite now and then. Sweet tooth is definitely there though. Dark chocolate saves!!! Thanks again, Jama, for this small moment of truth.

    Liked by 2 people

  32. Thanks SO much, Jama, for featuring my poem on your gorgeous website. I love all the photos, esp the one with Wonder Woman! I’ve bookmarked your blog and will return to it often. Glad to know about it!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Martha,
      Thanks for writing such a delectable donut poem. Somehow it makes me feel less guilty about donuts knowing others struggle with temptation in the same way. Like you, I do miss the old days when I simply ate sweets with relish and never worried about waistlines or too much sugar.

      In my book, all female poets, who are brave enough to write their truths, are wonder women. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  35. Jama, you always come up with the tastiest treats and delicious poetry as evidenced by today’s post. I must, while glazed donuts were my love as a child, I try to stay away from them now. Chocolate is my weakness but I think the treats at Mary Lee’s food truck could get me to enjoy sampling many donuts.

    Liked by 2 people

  36. This is the time for local hot, fresh apple cider donuts. A yearly splurge, worth every single darned calorie. Every one. Including licking the cinnamon sugar off your fingers.

    Liked by 1 person

  38. Somebody’s got to eat the doughnuts! (sorry, I still have to spell them the old way!)
    My husband and I courted via DD. Each evening/morning (about 1 or 2 am) at college, after studying we would go to DD and get a Creme Filled and coffee for me, and a Boston Creme Pie and milk for my “boyfriend”! That was when they made the doughnuts there and were open all night, of course. The doughnuts and drinks would be on the counter before we got through the door!
    Now I have a gluten sensitivity and my husband is diabetic…haven’t had a doughnut in years… sigh.

    Liked by 2 people

  39. Thanks for posting and reviewing. This is a wonderful anthology. Here’s another poem from the collection by Keli Osborn.

    Sugar Dust

    Winter powders rooftops, lawns,
    pink Daphne buds closed like tiny fists.

    In Cheyenne once or maybe Rawlins,
    cold blasted my cheeks, bit fingers and lips,

    followed us to the car where we huddled,
    my brother and sister and I, hurled

    from Wyoming, chocolate milk cartons
    and doughnuts in our laps, windows lacy white,

    Mother and Father counting cash, inching
    miles on a map that wouldn’t add up.

    This isn’t sugar dust or glazed nostalgia. What I recall
    is the pinch of early spring, harsh light, the howl.

    Liked by 2 people

  42. A post that outdoes your usual excellence, Jama. I can pass up donuts, usually, but a trip to Voodoo Donuts is now on my bucket list. I’m wondering which one you ate, and which delicious celebrity man deserves the Donut Whole award in your sidebar…my favorite flavor is Johnny Depp!

    Like

    1. Mr Firth wins every award whether donuts are involved or not. The creativity of flavors at Voodoo Doughnuts is amazing — perhaps I’ll get there someday too, but generally, I’m a plain glazed type of person.

      Like

  43. Glad to connect with Martha Silano and others on this blog. Thanks again for posting about The Book of Donuts. I also am a contributor to it. It’s a great anthology that I was honored to be a part of….Brent Pallas.

    Like

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