TRANSITory Reading 5

Not too long ago I saw some fellow on the subway reading a book of poetry. I thought that was rather impressive. One doesn't see someone reading poetry out in public very often. But that impressive image was slightly soiled when I noticed that as he was reading said poetry, he was eating. In fact, he was chowing down on a bag of pork rinds! I don't know, for some reason poetry and pork rinds just make a kind of odd mix for me. And as he stuffed those greasy rinds in his salty mouth he would smack his lips and lick his fingers, and then repeat the whole sordid process over again.

So if I don't like the thought of eating greasy grimey pork rinds while reading poetry, it begs the question: is there any appropriate food one can eat while reading poetry?

Comments

[R J Keefe]

Clementines and grapes.

"A poem should be palpable and mute
Like globèd fruit"
- Archibald MacLeish

[Isabella]

Pomegranates. Messy, but appropriate in spirit.

[Emma]

Cheese? :)

[Lucy]

I like the contrast of eating pork rinds while reading poetry. Who does that?? I love it just because it's so odd. I think it's great. However, I myself would prefer red wine with my poetry readings.

[Bernadette]

I think it's awesome that he was eating pork rinds. Too often I think poetry is elevated so much that it's considered irrelevant. Why shouldn't he eat pork rinds or any other common, over-processed food while reading poetry? Poetry shouldn't need fancy fare. Poetry appeals to the senses, and it certainly does sound like he was enjoying his pork rinds.... :)

[Premee]

The picture that goes with this post is unbearable. :-D
The real question is, what kind of writing goes with pork rinds? I bet Faulkner wouldn't have minded if you ate pork rinds while reading his short stories. Or Burroughs (the 'Naked Lunch' one, not the 'Tarzan' one).

[Julia]

If one of my books would only be published, I wouldn't mind people eating pork rinds while reading it.

Hell, I'd kick in free pork rinds if that would get it published.

[iliana]

This is priceless! Me, I prefer chocolate while I'm reading poetry, fiction, non-fiction, etc. Just gimme chocolate!

[Tom]

George@Bookninja would get a kick out of this.

[patricia]

Tom, yes, George might find it amusing, especially since it was a book of poetry written by Canadian poet Paul Vermeersch, who is a contributor to Bookninja!

[Pete]

Whatever's on the menu at the restaurant where the poet is waiting tables. Sorry, the frustrated "working writer" in me couldn't resist.

[adrienne]

I'm in Oklahoma where the eating of pork rinds is commonplace, but people would say, "Reading poetry while eating pork rinds? Who does that? What sort of reading does one do while eating pork rinds?" Probably the farm almanac.

[Anne]

Patricia, the Atkins Diet craze has made pork rinds the new crudités for some people. Pork rinds are allowed on Atkins (being made of actual pig -- fat content no object). I tried them once and almost gagged on the grease, but a relative of mine -- a rugged guy who lost 30 lbs on Atkins -- loves 'em. So anyway, there may not be as significant a disconnect between the reader's literary fare and his snack fare as you thought!

[George]

Pork rings?! Are you sure it wasn't Paul himself, checking for typos?

[patricia]

Ha ha. Does Paul like pork rinds? Somehow, I doubt it!

[Arethusa]

Hmmm. For some reason I am going to pick ice cream as my poetry food of choice. (I've never even had pork rinds before.) It is nice that you saw someone out with a poetry book.

[kimbofo]

What an hiliarious image. I can hear the crunch-crunch soundtrack from here!

A glass of wine and a plate of canapes perhaps?

[ragdoll]

That's hilarious! It's sort of like a mixed media life-as-art funny...and word to eating pork rinds with poetry. Why not? (But I'll admit that I'd rather salt and vinegar chips).

[Debbie Ridpath Ohi]

Good quality chocolate truffles and chamomile tea.

[Scully]

I don't eat when I read because I'm usually so involved in the book I don't realize I've gone through a 2Kg bag of caramels.