The title seems kind of obvious. I can hear you groaning into your computer with an exasperated, “of course Annelies feels this way.” And yet, I’m not alone in my supposition. I reckon that just as good writers happen to be good readers, that does not exclude a snack of poetry for sustenance. Surely there is room next to M.F.K. Fisher, Tamar Adler and Elissa Altman for poetry, and I have a hunch they drink from its waters on occasion. I spent a good deal of time with one of my favorite poets recently (the photo above says it all) in an achingly beautiful place and put this premise to the test.
I promise I will post more on that writing retreat soon, but today, I have a chocolate-covered treat for you in the guise of a guest post over on food writer Monica Bhide’s blog, entitled (how did you know?), “How Poetry Can Make You a Better Food Writer.” You probably already know how gifted Monica is at telling stories. Maybe you know she has a generous spirit and warm demeanor. I learned recently the joy of hearing her laugh- it’s delightfully infectious. Many thanks to Monica for the opportunity to talk about one of my favorite collaborations. If you write about food and you read poetry, check out the post by clicking the link below and leave a comment on her blog answering how you think poetry has made you a better food writer and perhaps whose work has informed yours.