The Library will be closed on Sunday, March 31, 2024, in observance of Easter

Sayonara, Tanka Tuesday! Here Is the Last Batch of Tanka Poems About Your Favorite Food

Christa Deitrick, Librarian, Literature & Fiction Department,
Famous Chinese cuisine dishes on table
A fabulous Chinese feast

Here they are—the last few tankas written by Los Angeles Public Library staffers in celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage Month. It’s not too late to join in the fun by posting your own poem to Instagram. In the meantime, feast your eyes on these final tankas in the Eat Your Words! series!



cheetos

once your tongue licks it
each crunchy Cheeto takes hold
explodes with flavor
cheese powder all over me
orange fingers led astray

—Kathryn Ing



chili cheeseburger and french fries

Chili cheeseburger
Extra onions, pickles, too
Tommy’s makes ‘em great
Add pickled yellow peppers
LA fast food is for me

—Sheryn Morris



corn muffin

Yellow, baked, warm.
Love how versatile you are,
savory or sweet --
mix in cheese, bacon, Hatch chiles
or pecans and fruit. So good.

—Rita R.



oatmeal carmelita

My carmelitas,
Oats, brown sugar and butter,
Chocolate, caramel.
The chewy sugary crust
Surrounds the treasures inside.

—Anne Olivier



Liz photobombing her grandma back in the day

Grandmother’s yeast rolls
live only in my mem’ry
I close my eyes and
taste buttery pillows, hear
my grandfather ask for more

—Liz C.



We hope you enjoyed the tankas. Check back on Friday as we say farewell to our last batch of haikus!

Enhanced photo illustrations by Aldrich Linton. Images are culled from Wikimedia Commons unless otherwise noted.



 

 

 

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