Descartes With A Dash of Popeye (“I think, therefore I yam.”)
I Think, Therefore I Yam
After Descartes (With a Dash of Popeye)
I think, therefore I
yam. I think,
I truly love
the yam. I bake
them almost every day,
not lining their pan
with foil (as advised by those
who think before
they yam) because
almost every time I yam–late–I
yam also
hard put.
Not having planned
for existence, I slam
them fast in the oven, unable to break
for foil, the need
for sweet hot
earth-grown sustenance
surging with a force that must be
met immediately (plus
the baking time) and so
my yams’ essence
overflows, burns, and
later (usually the next day)
must be scraped away
from the pan, to
get down to something
grey again, stained perhaps,
functional.
I break then,
at least, from the brusque
thrust of scrub,
for saved slices (that soft
bright orange), finding,
though I do not think
of anything very much,
that I still
yam, the cold leftovers of being,
sweet,
in morning’s light.
(Happy Saturday! I think–and I’m jumping the gun a bit–that dVerse Poets Pub, hosted by Charles Miller, is waxing philosophical today. I am also linking this to Painting Prose.)
If you have any time, and need an escape this rainy cold weekend, check out NOSE DIVE, a comic romp through the brain and life of Celia Pratchett, big-nosed, big-voiced, New York City High School student with a friend in trouble. Only 99 cents on Kindle! Or if you don’t like teen novels, check out my collection of poetry, GOING ON SOMEWHERE, or children’s counting book, 1 MISSISSIPPI. Thanks much!)
(As always, all rights to all aspects of this post reserved.)
Explore posts in the same categories: iPad art, poetry, UncategorizedTags: After Descartes with a Dash of Popeye, Descartes-Popeye Yam Poem, I think therefore I yam, Karin Gustafson poetry, manicddaily
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ManicDDaily 
February 11, 2012 at 2:30 pm
This is so fun! Love it!
February 12, 2012 at 1:24 am
You had me at the first Yam … what a hoot! Will check out your other links tomorrow when I crawl out of bed … have book-marked them …
http://aleapingelephant.blogspot.com/2012/02/in-house-of-moon-madness.html
February 12, 2012 at 8:34 am
Thanks so much, S.E.!
February 11, 2012 at 2:39 pm
haha you nailed it…and yes that is the prompt today…and should be a fun one…yours was def fun with the texture of popeye…but also the underlying truths…of not thinking but doing…not ready for existence and unwilling to think things through before we do…well played K
February 11, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Thanks–I have a hard time with underlying truths! But it was a very fun prompt.
February 11, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Brilliant, Karin…only you! I yam so glad to have found you awhile back…
Re your comments; they won’t show up immediately because I have moderation turned on, so don’t stress. and thank you; your thoughts are always wonderful. Mine is up at http://parolavivace.blogspot.com — xxxj
February 11, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Yes, I know, I may duplicate, but I have had a lot of trouble because I had once started a blogspot blog that I didn’t continue, and it mucks up my commenting on blogspot. I’ll check it out. thanks!
February 11, 2012 at 4:00 pm
haha..love the drawing and what a fun write k. – much enjoyed – baking and cooking can learn us some valuable lessons on life..smiles
February 11, 2012 at 4:10 pm
Very cute poem. 🙂
February 11, 2012 at 4:29 pm
This reminded me a little of Sam Beckett’s spoof on Descartes boiling an egg! You’re having fun here and that’s a relief, since so much philosophy and poetry take themselves so seriously. Perhaps we might say that instead of Cogito, ergo sum, we must begin saying I bake, ergo sum. Sounds Marxist to me! Or at least, Existentialist via Looney Tunes. 🙂
February 11, 2012 at 4:31 pm
Ha! Thanks, Charles. I really eat, more than bake! Thanks for your prompt, article, and comment. K.
February 11, 2012 at 5:01 pm
existential bliss in a tuber….a sated Life is half baked…hunger is SO important
Peas…uhhh…Peace
February 11, 2012 at 5:21 pm
Ha! Very good! K.
February 11, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Reminds me Dr. Seuss, Sam I am, but with yam. I get the underlying message here… existence.
February 11, 2012 at 7:31 pm
Hilarious! I like yams too. We turn it a savory dish during meals or cakes as you have done. There’s ice cream yam too, yummy…
Hank
February 11, 2012 at 8:20 pm
This is great fun, but not just fun, and that makes it even better. It is a tuberous cycle of deliciousness. I esp like the way you’ve used those hard words–break and brusque, scrap and scrub–makes a nice contrast with all the soft yams, very tactile. And now, I’m hungry.
February 11, 2012 at 8:20 pm
scrape not scrap
February 11, 2012 at 9:13 pm
Too funny. 🙂
February 11, 2012 at 11:14 pm
Read with a broad smile. Good stuff, love the rhythm and the alliterations. Well done!
February 12, 2012 at 4:37 am
Hahaha! Great fun!
And thanks for your fun contribution to last week’s Limerick-Off!
February 12, 2012 at 8:29 am
Thanks, Mad. Your winners are great. K.
February 12, 2012 at 4:47 am
This is too good – Lightyears too good, I just don’t know what to say. Right from the very first line I knew it was masterpiece.
February 13, 2012 at 12:51 am
This had me in stitches .A parody of existentialism ? I dont know what u call it but definitely brightened my quest 4 meaning !
February 13, 2012 at 10:56 am
Very fun. Hard not to smile with Popeye.
February 13, 2012 at 10:58 am
Thanks so much, Yousei! k.
February 15, 2012 at 11:38 am
This is delightful…on a side note, I eat tons of sweet potatoes too! They are so delish! Aren’t they? I hope that you’ll link up with us again this week!
February 19, 2012 at 4:52 pm
So good, so funny, so very well written.
Much fun to be had here.