We all have to make choices and frankly, offering choices is a trademark of my parenting style. So, when I told my children that they had a choice of doing a family Harlem shake or writing dinnertime haiku, each sharpened their pencil.
What Goes Best with Haiku?
Index cards and pencils placed in the middle of table, quiet tapping out of syllables all around and more naughty “designed to rouse mom” poems than I care to share. Fortunately, burger king fries only taps out 4 syllables. The grandparents participated too and despite the torture, perhaps one day they’ll remember it as a way to celebrate National Poetry Month. Enjoy our haiku or near haiku.
Mom’s dinners are the best
except for eggplant dishes.
Those are terrible.
The food I like best
puts my family to the test
steak, potatoes, all the rest
Chop, chop, chop the greens
work, work, work to make us lean
This not that is obscene.
Haikus are boring
Haikus can be terrible
Refrigerator
One girl with four boys
Why’d she feed them beans again
bam, toot, blast, ka boom.
Abolitionists
ended slavery for some
I still do dishes.
It’s National Poetry Month. Share Poetry!
Agrigirl's Blog 
Rukmini Roy
/ April 18, 2013Yum!!!
And yes, I’d take haiku over harlem shake. Any given time.
Tammy
/ April 19, 2013In reality, me too. Although I do have one little shaker who would’ve been happier doing the dance.
Debbie
/ April 19, 2013Tammy, you are such a great mom! Thank you for sharing these poems with us. Aub and I are laughing over the beans one!!! 🙂
Tammy
/ April 19, 2013That one was actually mine Deb. Enjoy.
cindyricksgers
/ April 19, 2013Up at dawn reading
Tammy’s family haiku –
I laugh out loud!
Tammy
/ April 19, 2013🙂
Bob Whittemore
/ April 19, 2013Now if you offered the Alabama Shakes, it might have been a different evening.
Tammy
/ April 19, 2013I definitely have something to learn, Bob.
Inger Wilkerson
/ April 19, 2013Lol–and my kids feel the same way about eggplant, though the latest Eggplant Parmesan has started to make some headway 😉
Tammy
/ April 19, 2013I’m learning to sneak it in!
herbanlifestyle
/ April 19, 2013Nice 🙂
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013Gracias!
Kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts
/ April 19, 2013LOVE THIS POST!
Sharing it on my FB page.
Tammy, I’m taking this idea and running with it for my kids–though they’d probably choose to dance . . .
Thanks!
Tammy
/ April 19, 2013Wonderful Kirsten! It’s intended as inspiration. Have fun dancing or doodling!
Meg
/ April 19, 2013What a wonderful idea! I think that I will sharpen my pencil now, too!
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013Terrific! I hope that it inspired you to write a phrase or a verse and if it is in celebration of food – all the better!
Lauren
/ April 19, 2013Hahahaha! How much do I love that choice? The eggplant one? Priceless.
I do love a good haiku — so elegant, and yet so easy to write.
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013The choice created a certain outcome. The eggplant verse, I have to live with!
Lisa H
/ April 19, 2013Inspired by blogs
Kids staring at their full plate
Is this our dinner?
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013Yes, you must eat it
Veggies create stronger minds
Trust us on this one.
Know Thank You
/ April 19, 2013Oh no, kale again?
Must we consume turnip greens?
Plant-based diet blues.
Hopi Black Pinto,
New Mexico Bolitas,
Cumin, tomatoes.
Stinging in and out,
Jalapenos bite back hard,
And yet I need more.
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013I always need more.
More sharp heat from green peppers
Red ones also rock.
nrhatch
/ April 19, 2013What a FUN idea!
I agree ~ eggplant dishes
are terrible stuff. 😆
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013You’ve eggplant disdain
Yet, why is it deserved?
the cheese masks it all
Sally
/ April 19, 2013Amazing and fun. I love the one you wrote about the beans. All are delightful. Wish I had been there. I can just hear the conversations!
Chop chop chop, could have been BH?
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013but was mother dear.
yummychunklet
/ April 19, 2013Great haiku! You should check out Trevor at Sis.Boom.Blog! He does similar haiku about food.
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013On my way to check it out!
hotlyspiced
/ April 20, 2013I love the look of the pasta. That’s an interesting exercise and I love how your kids all got involved. Not sure mine would have the same enthusiasm xx
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013Not sure I would use the word enthusiasm to describe my kids’ participating! The pasta has yellow squash, cherry tomatoes and spinach with spice – love the simplicity.
Tandy
/ April 20, 2013Next dish Tammy
Brinjal and beans
Poor boys!
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013Great challenge Tandy
See if they recognize it.
the cheese masks it all.
Kellyann
/ April 20, 2013My spouse and I laughed so hard at the eggplant one. 🙂
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013it came from his heart.
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide
/ April 21, 2013Awesome. If it weren’t Sunday morning, I might write a haiku. Instead I’ll just laugh and say refrigerator.
Tammy
/ April 21, 20135 syllables!
tanner hamilton
/ April 21, 2013Mine was the one that says Abolitionists, Ended slavery for some, I still do dishes. I’d rather not do dishes 😦 hahah
Tammy
/ April 21, 2013Yes, that one was yours silly boy!
kateshrewsday
/ April 21, 2013Your refrigerator one made me laugh out loud, Tammy 😀
Tammy
/ April 21, 2013That was my middle son’s who is quite the contrarian. Creative though.
Marylin Warner
/ April 21, 2013These are wonderful. Thank you. I’m still smiling at the effects of the beans.
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013You’re so welcome. Food is a great way to encourage poetry.
isathreadsoflife
/ April 22, 2013When on a grill,
An eggplant meets thyme, rosemary
And a few drops of olive oil,
Mediterranean vacation are not far 😉
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013Lovely Isa!
A brinjal sliced
with a trickle of olive oil
Grilled until tenderness
Biocadence
/ April 22, 2013Ah, you just made me smile soooo hard! I love the snapshot of your parenting. So fun!
Annie at Biocadence
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013My kids don’t love this snapshot of my parenting but someday, they will recall it fondly.
Biocadence
/ April 22, 2013Aw… I know you’re right;)!
Annie
tiffany
/ April 22, 2013I have made a resolution to laugh daily and this had me in tears from chuckling… Ironically I start my writing class this week and now know where my focus will be. Thank you for sharing the love of writing!
Tammy
/ April 22, 2013Enjoy the class. Let us know what you write. God bless.
Giiid
/ April 23, 2013What a good and fun idea. 🙂 I´m sure the children will remember this with a smile.
Tammy
/ April 23, 2013That is my hope. Nice to see you!
Hannah
/ April 23, 2013High five for haiku! You make me want to do another haiku chocolate review post 😛
Tammy
/ April 26, 2013Do it Hannah!
shrinkingthecamel
/ April 23, 2013I like the one ending in “refrigerator.” Congratulate the young lad responsible for that one!
Tammy
/ April 26, 2013Yes, he was pretty pleased with himself.
croquecamille
/ April 25, 2013Though I love it now,
the eggplant one made me laugh.
What a fun project!
Tammy
/ April 26, 2013His taste may change to
And when it does, I’ll rejoice
Eggplant and Haiku
Catherine Sherman
/ May 1, 2013Those were funny! So much humor and wisdom packed into a few well-chosen words.
Tammy
/ May 1, 2013definitely reflective of the personalities that scrawled them. do you haiku?
Kath
/ May 7, 2013Nice posting over here
Lyrical inspiration
Lovely pic
🙂
Melissa
/ August 10, 2013Oh my gosh, love this idea! Have to remember it for when Jake is bigger!
Tammy
/ August 11, 2013It’s great fun on vacation too!