Gauguin’s Stomach Grumbles (Oy! Poi!)
“The Meal,” 1891, by Paul Gauguin
Gauguin’s Stomach Grumbles – Pourquoi Poi?
Mes petits choux, don’t get me wrong–
I absolument do not long
for France or that old life of mine–
where so terrible was the grind–
Vraiment, I love the sun and shade
of this Tahitian island glade
but my old tum, not Polynesian,
simply won’t become amnesian
and insists on crying, ‘Oy evay,
non non non non more poi today.’
My tum’s the problem–it’s not me
it’s having a hard time ici;
it simply won’t accoutumée
to guava without creme brûlée.
I see coquille–it thinks St Jacques
(it doesn’t much like taro snacks).
So please mes enfants m’excusez,
when I say I’ll pass on poi today.
Perhaps un jour, I’ll change my mind;
my tum will hush its spoiled whine.
But til I reach that day so calm–
just pour me more of vin du Palme
And, s’il vous plait, go ahead, enjoy
that whole darn plat of lovely poi.
***************************************”
The above is my offiering for The Mag 117, where Tess Kincaid posts a pictoral prompt. I am also posting it for dVerse Poets Open Link Night.
This week, Tess’s prompt, is the lovely painting by Paul Gauguin, who left his home in Europe, France and Denmark, for French Polynesia. There’s a bit of poetic license here – poi is the Hawaian name for a paste made from Taro. I believe they have the same stuff in Polynesia, but don’t know what they call it.
All the words above in italics are in French except “oy evay!” The point of this note is that “terrible” should be read ‘teRRIbla,’ more or less.
If you are in the mood for more silliness, check out my novel, Nose Dive, escapist fun that costs a whole lot less than a trip to Tahiti. If you are in the mood for something artistic, check out 1 Mississippi (children’s counting book with elephants, illustrated by yours truly).
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, UncategorizedTags: dVerse Poets OLN, Magpie Tales.blogspot.com, manicddaily, Paul Gauguin The Meal Poem, Paul Gauguin's stomach grumbles, Poi poem, Taro Not For Gauguin
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ManicDDaily 
May 14, 2012 at 11:04 am
I loved your plat du jour! LOL
May 14, 2012 at 11:39 am
Thanks!
May 14, 2012 at 11:32 am
ha. yeah different foods from other cultures can def be hard on the digestive system for sure…i cant help it though…i love trying new things….nice blend of french and english…it reads true as someone of blended language…
May 14, 2012 at 11:39 am
Thanks – well, I like trying new things too (veggy though) and I have a feeling Gauguin was pretty flexible, but the faces in the paintings did not actually looked so thrilled with the grey bowl! (Ha!) k.
May 14, 2012 at 12:44 pm
Wonderfully funny! I love the entwining of the French. And no, ‘gippy tummy’ or ‘Delhi belly’ is not funny when one has it!
May 14, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Gave me many a giggle–about three per stanza I think. Very amusing and intelligent rhyming and mix of the two languages, k.
May 14, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Thanks. k.
May 15, 2012 at 12:08 am
It could have been hard times captured by the artist. Being vegetarian is good but not with fruits alone. Great write and wonderful combination of language speak, K!
Hank
May 15, 2012 at 3:44 am
I always knew him to be a man after my own heart. Top notch this!
May 15, 2012 at 8:19 am
this is a delight to read. you have a wonderfully diverse way with words!
May 15, 2012 at 11:38 am
I chuckled all the way through your delightful Mag! Merci beaucoup.
May 15, 2012 at 11:45 am
Thanks, Helen.
May 15, 2012 at 12:46 pm
hmmm..creme brûlée and St Jacques moules…i love french food…BIG fan of fois gras…always with a bad conscience though…ha…loved it k.
May 15, 2012 at 12:58 pm
i like the mix of french…
do you really want the poi
quick heat quick art
May 15, 2012 at 2:15 pm
[…] ManicDDaily « Gauguin’s Stomach Crumbles (Oy! Poi!) […]
May 15, 2012 at 2:18 pm
This was so much fun! And to it the language in such a playful and well observed way- well- that’s skill right there – a combination of the story told and the poetic language just made this completely engaging. A reminder that poetry can and should be fun (I say…trying to take my own advice)- not everything needs to be so heavy! (again, maybe I’m being hypocritical) – well done- this was very cool!
May 15, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Thanks. Your heavy poems are wonderful, but I do like to indulge my silly streak. I know you have one too. k.
May 15, 2012 at 2:36 pm
Yeah…you ARE right- maybe ill pen one for you!
May 15, 2012 at 11:48 pm
Ha! Great idea! k.
May 15, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Okay. I’m craving creme brûlée now. I’m blaming you.
May 15, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Ha. Now, I’m craving it too!
May 15, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Wonderfully playful and brilliant of course– you may want to change C to G in post title– loved this! xj
May 15, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Thanks so much. I didn’t see that =- Grazy!
May 15, 2012 at 2:50 pm
laid back….I need a nap now…..the rhymes-so clever and in any language…magnifique!
Peace
May 15, 2012 at 3:07 pm
Love it! Very funny, brilliantly flowing with your adept mix of French with the English….
May 15, 2012 at 3:24 pm
I see coquille–it thinks St Jacques… this made me laugh…
great use of language and imagery here… what time is dinner?
May 15, 2012 at 3:29 pm
Karin–smiling, smiling, smiling ici. My 5 years of French helped in this reading. You are tres creative, mon cherie.
well done!
May 15, 2012 at 3:47 pm
Love it! I’m with YOUR Gauguin, on the creme brulee!
May 15, 2012 at 4:00 pm
Et bien, je comprends que le poi serait terrible pour les Francais, au moins que on ajoute beaucoup de beurre…and my French me quite. Very fun write, Karin. You are so clever.
May 15, 2012 at 4:41 pm
That was a lot of FUN and very cleverly done too… Oi vey! LOL
May 15, 2012 at 6:29 pm
I always enjoy your sense of fun and play of words here….I don’t read French but I like guava and creme brulee ~
May 15, 2012 at 7:05 pm
Playful and a nice write, Karin 🙂
May 15, 2012 at 7:09 pm
Delicieux! Fun ekphrasis. Great use of two languages (and oy vay makes 3). Merci.
May 15, 2012 at 7:19 pm
What fun! Really smart little diddy…would love to say it reminds me of France…alas, I’m not that lucky…but 12 years of public school French allowed me to really enjoy!
May 16, 2012 at 6:20 am
Thanks, Tash!
May 16, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Delightfully delicious, highly successful and fun!
May 16, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Thanks, Anna.
May 16, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Fun piece, I love the intermingling of the french and english, very nice touch and kind of drives the piece. As for poi, I’ve always known about it, as I’m a crossword nut in addition to all the other hobbies I have and it’s used all the time, that and Lei, but as I did know what Lei was, outside of being a food I never quite knew what type of food, now I know it’s a paste with taro, thanks to your notes. I needed a fun piece today. Thanks
May 16, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Well, glad to add to your fund of knowledge! I have never tasted Poi, but I have had taro – it’s quite bland–I don’t think it would truly be objectionable, just, well, very boring. But then again I’ve never had. You could say that kimchee was cabbage, for example, but wouldn’t quite get to its essence! k.
May 16, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Oh I got tricked into trying kimchee before. Outside the time I ate a spoon of wasabi, probably the hottest thing I ever ate.
May 16, 2012 at 1:33 pm
I hear our poor old Gauguin loud and clear as a retired international teacher, myself. A daily diet of another’s menu can be hard to take – LOL
May 16, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Ha- thanks. Sounds like a very interesting job.
k.
May 16, 2012 at 2:43 pm
Shers = I visited aislingbooks which looks very interesting but not sure how to otherwise get back to you. K.
May 16, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Really enjoyed the rhythm on show here, and the mixing of French and English. Works ever so well.
Great work.
May 17, 2012 at 7:03 am
Sorry so late in my comment. This is a very fun poem to read. I can hear old Gauguin trumpeting his expletives among the uncomprehending Polynesians. Sometimes it makes sense to be the outsider! Have tou read Vargas Llosa’s novel on Gauguin and his amazing mother?
May 17, 2012 at 7:18 am
No, I will look for it. I don’t really know much about Gauguin; I really was reacting to the painting. But that sounds like fun. k.
May 17, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Absolument formidable!
=D
May 17, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Ha! Thanks.
May 18, 2012 at 6:31 pm
Absolutely delightful!