Dear Readers,
Here is the link to the February 22, 2022 edition of the Virtual Poetorium posted last night on the Poetorium website for you to hopefully peruse and enjoy at your leisure. I want to thank my fellow bloggers Melissa LaFontaine, Diane Puterbaugh, Ken Ronkowitz, and tommywart for graciously accepting the invitation to participate which I previously posted on this blog. I have decided not to repost the entire Virtual Poetorium here on this blog as I have often done with previous editions because I feel that this one turned out to probably be too long a read and thus far too overwhelming for most of my readers (as a result, some really excellent poetry might be skipped, and that would be a real shame). So instead, I will just post this month’s Poetorium group poem (which is always one of my favorite segments of the Poetorium). I must confess it was really looking like that for the very first time since the Virtual Poetorium began, the group poem wasn’t going to happen this month due to lack of interest. However, happily, a pair of last-minute contributions from first-time participants Melissa and tommywart rescued it from the sad fate of never being created. So here it is, a bit briefer than usual (I sincerely hope you like it as much as I do)…
The Top Secrets of Gastronomical Pleasure
The secret to a good cup of coffee is heat.
Coffee, bitter, bold, and steaming hot is naturally a bit too much, you see.
You can tone that down with a cool splash of cream,
So you can drink it fully, without sucking it through teeth.
The secret to enjoying an ice-cold can of Moxie,
Like a true veteran Northern Vermont Yankee, is to learn
To embrace the bitterness of the gentian root with its vague
Hints of dandelions gathered from sunlit fields, savoring
The acrid aftertaste of your first swallow, and the strange sensation
In your tongue as if it was sensuously sliding over the nipple-
End of a D cell battery, while your entire body shudders involuntarily.
The secret to a fine dessert is how much you will crave it.
Warm and flaky, creamy, cold, it must satisfy your palate.
Otherwise, so I’m told, there’s no reason to even try it.
—The February 2022 Virtual Poetorium Group Poem
Paul's Poetry Playground 
My husband is a Moxie fanatic!
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Haha, I am too! It certainly a required taste but I’ve grown to love it.
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I actually liked it better when I was in high school, before they made it sweeter.
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I feel it changed quite a bit since Coca Cola products acquired it, but on the bright side, it seems easier to find iat the big grocery store chains…
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Around here, Market Basket runs out on a regular basis, and my husband gets very grumpy.
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Shared over on my blog. This is awesome!! Thank you so much. I loved reading these poems, what a great selection!
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You are very welcome, and thank you so much, Melissa! I really loved the pieces you contributed and hope you might consider participating again in future editions…
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Yay! I’m glad you like them. I will keep on contributing for sure. I really like the way you organize it.
Long, long ago I went to spoken word open mics, I forgot how absolutely awesome it was. This gave me a little taste and maybe just enough of a push that I’ll get bold enough for some IRL stuff eventually too.
Thank you for that, quite a gift. 🙂
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
I LOVE IT! SOMEONE ELSE PUT MOXIE SODA IN A POEM—-PUTTING THE NAIL ON THE HEAD OF ITS COMPLEX FLAVOR! ❤
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Thank you, Jonathan! I’m so glad you liked our group poem.
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YES SIRR!!!!!
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Hey Paul. Visited (HERE). Wow. What an extraordinary achievement. There’s lots to read and learn from this Poetorium you put together. With real poets! Gosh, I could only dream of that. One day when I feel more polished, I’d like to be considered a contributor here too.
Thanks for doing all the hard work. You’re amazing. Your poetry for this art speaks volumes.
So glad I got the chance to let this into my life.
Thanks.
And in this post: wow. Sensual poetry.
Haha. So the top secret is not a secret now… good. Spectacular. Made me smile. Thank you. I love the moments that make me smile. I bless you, Paul. All the best. xoxo
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Thank you so much, Selma! You are so very kind. I am so glad you enjoyed this edition of the Virtual Poetorium, and really look forward to the day when you decide to bless us with your own contributions…
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