Have you ever received a cryptic message, only to spend the next few minutes trying to figure out what it actually means?
D.C. area poet Kim Roberts received a text from her housemate that inspired her to write this witty, intriguing poem. So much depends on the sender . . . and what the receiver wants to hear. 
POMOLOGY by Kim Roberts I will eat the apple read Stephen’s note this morning. He is volunteering to play Eve. He wrote, I will eat the apple —but there are no apples in the house. We have no lascivious Honeycrisp, no bonny Braeburn, no upright Baldwin. We’re out of spry Granny Smiths, the skulking Northern Spy, or the mysterious Pink Lady. Stephen does have an Adam’s apple and I have an Apple computer, but you can’t compare apples and oranges. The note said, I will eat the apple. Perhaps Stephen’s chasing out the doctors. Perhaps he’s not falling far from the tree. Or he’s already eaten from the tree of knowledge: in Latin, malum means both apple and evil. I think Stephen is sending a warning. He means, I will protect you. He writes, I will eat the apple. ~ Originally published in Poem-a-Day, August 2017 by the Academy of American Poets
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This is just to say, I’m happy Kim figured out what Stephen was trying to tell her, but . . . what if the sender had been one of my poet friends? What were they really trying to tell me?
I will eat the apple (we seem to be out of plums) ~ William Carlos Williams
I will eat the apple (I have had too much of apple-picking) ~ Robert Frost
I will eat the apple (peaches are too risky) ~ T.S. Eliot
I will eat the apple (that is all ye need to know) ~ John Keats
I will eat the apple (to peel or not to peel, that is the question) ~ Shakespeare
I will eat the apple (judge tenderly of me) ~ Emily Dickinson
I will eat the apple (a man and a woman and an apple are one) ~ Wallace Stevens
I will eat the apple (a strain of the Earth’s sweet being in the beginning in Eden’s garden) ~ Gerard Manley Hopkins
I will eat the apple (be astonished and tell about it) ~ Mary Oliver
I will eat the apple (to follow my inner moonlight) ~ Allen Ginsberg
I will eat the apple (like a complete unknown)~ Bob Dylan
I will (not only)eat (but hold in my heart) the apple – E. E. Cummings
Now, when Mr Cornelius writes, I will eat the apple,
I know he actually means, I will eat the apple galette.
Want one?
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Apple Pie Order 
After reading “Pomology,” everyone in the Alphabet Soup kitchen was ravenous (yet again). There were no subtle implications, fancy literary allusions, or witty asides. Eat. Apple. Now.
So we needed a recipe that was quick and easy, yet satisfying. In a millisecond, Mr Cornelius thought of Ina. In another life, she was his Eve to his Adam. So many tempting apple recipes, so little time.
“What about my French Apple Galettes?” Ina whispered telepathically. A sheet of puff pastry, three Granny Smith apples, some butter, sugar, and apricot jam, and we were off and baking.
Truly, you can’t go wrong with puff pastry. The darling Ina Garten came to our rescue! We’re willing to bet she never runs out of plums, and courageously devours each and every peach that crosses her path (she does not wear the bottoms of her trousers rolled, however).
These are the perfect fall bake; the joys of the season in every bite.
So easy — let Ina show you how:
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You can find the printable recipe at the Food Network (yes, you can cut back on the sugar).
So, will you eat the apple? Go on. You know you want to.
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Hooray, Hooray! We’re excited to announce the winners of our recent book giveaways. We enjoyed reading all your wonderful comments, and hope that even if you didn’t win a book today, you’ll check out all three of these terrific titles. If your library doesn’t have them, please submit a request.
And now,
*drum roll please*
the winner of PIE FOR BREAKFAST is REBECCA MULLIN!
the winner of NIKI NAKAYAMA: A Chef’s Tale in 13 Bites is JEANNETTE LEE!
and
the winner of FOR EVERY LITTLE THING: Poems and Prayers to Celebrate the Day is JUDEE ALGAZI!
CONGRATULATIONS REBECCA, JEANNETTE, AND JUDEE!! 
And thanks to everyone for entering these giveaways.
Happy Reading and Happy Cooking!
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The clever and punderful Bridget Magee is hosting the roundup at wee words for wee ones. Waltz on over to check out the full menu of poetic goodness being served up around the blogosphere this week. Have an apple-y weekend!
*This post was made on an Apple computer.
**Copyright © 2021 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.
