Forbidden Fruit ~ with audio

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr

Forbidden Fruit

Nothing like the birch, its slender height
bowing with the wind, its white skin peeling,
even floating delicately, your mother stands firm,
sometimes stout, spreading her arms in a canopy
that bears you, offers your delicacy to the world.

And what a delicious fruit you are. Sweet
or tart as any temptress could be, you cling
to the branch offering you, retaining a stem
that measures the promise you hold
with each twist. Each turn brings a luster
to your skin that seduces even as you blush
at the mere touch, inviting that first kiss.
Whether soft or firm, the flavor of your flesh
does not disappoint, is relished to the very end.

Ah, but then your connection to birch sets in
as you tickle my throat, and then my ears,
until I feel an itch even stronger than that
which tempted me to know your taste,
my tongue and throat swelling, begging
for relief. I resign myself to knowing
my sensitivity means you must feel
a fire inside of you, but isn’t it fitting
that it satisfies my passion for you,
your sweetness even richer as cobbler or pie?

Oral allergy syndrome is a reaction to the proteins in certain foods that mimic those in a pollen that causes allergies. My reaction to certain raw fruits and nuts (walnuts, almonds, apples, cherries, peaches, etc.) indicates that I am allergic to birch pollen.

The prompt for Day 24 of National/Global Poetry Writing Month
at napowrimo.net is to write a descriptive poem about a fruit.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

20 thoughts on “Forbidden Fruit ~ with audio”

  9. Hi – I enjoyed this poem so much. I I think this connection to birches is very interesting – they are sacred trees in the Celtic tradition and I would guess in the Scandinavian countries as well and Russia. When working with animal totems I’ve been taught to examine whatever predator or prey might be associated with that creature. I wonder if the allergy might be a sign that birch has something to teach you. It’s such a beautiful tree- you captured the allure and danger of forbidden fruit very well in your poem.

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