purple prose

This is Just to Say

by William Carlos Williams

I have eaten

the plums

that were in

the icebox

and which

you were probably

saving

for breakfast

Forgive me

they were delicious

so sweet

and so cold

 When my friend PB came to visit, she came bearing 6 yards of plum cotton jersey, a few spools of blue Button and Craft thread, and her copy of Alabama Studio Style, by Natalie Chanin. 

She gave half to me and saved the rest for herself.  We labored over it for two days, and in the end, when we parted, she had a gorgeous plummy tank dress with stitches that both of our hands made, and I had its twin, waiting to be sewn up in her absence.

The Word Plum

Helen Chasin

The word plum is delicious

pout and push, luxury of
self-love, and savoring murmur

full in the mouth and falling
like fruit

taut skin
pierced, bitten, provoked into
juice, and tart flesh

question
and reply, lip and tongue
of pleasure.