It took almost two years to discover
there is more than one type of mango.
When I had arrived I had tried one
that was green and stringy and sickly
with a strange metallic tang.
The second, the orange lay in hiding
growing only on shade loving trees,
eaten only by people who know
what a stone well aimed at a branch
can dislodge from a mango tree.
I must admit I was doubtful when a friend
said these ones were different
but the orange mango was heaven
as I bit into sweetest flesh
and the juices ran over my chin.
I came back to the UK too soon
still craving that flavoursome mango.
I went to the supermarket that I thought
would stock what I wanted
and yes they had rows upon rows of mangoes
and every last one was green!
An old poem on the topic of Food for Read Write Poem
I know that feeling. You return from some exotic country spoiled by big juicy colorful fresh fruits and all you can see in your shop is a miniature colorless green fruits taken down ages ago and delivered premature barely resembling real taste and look of something that you are normally supposed to eat.
ReplyDeletecoincidnece? We had mangoes for supper, as they have just come into season here. They have a sweet and almost parsnippy taste, and are orange when ripe, they are just delicious!
ReplyDeleteLovely.
ReplyDeleteHave you read my poetic prose piece on the correct way of eating a mango?
Managoes are in green or orange
ReplyDeletewe like them both ..as child we had so much fun with green mangoes, having them with salt and chilitpowder and pinch of sugar...that was so much fun ..we also have dry mangoes I think they dry them under the sun and with salt and suger and its kind a passtime for us when we were children instead of crisps
Ricardas - you're so right. I never now eat mangoes or papaya, though I loved both when we just picked them off the tree when I was in Malawi.
ReplyDeleteKrissie - your mangoes sound good...
Nia - I'll have to go and read your piece!
Nasra - maybe I just never learn to appreciate the green mango... salt and chillipowder would have certainly woken them up!
I read an article yesterday about how much the Japanese love to eat out and one note was that a boutique mango was $100 a fruit!
ReplyDeleteI like your poem better, even the green ones.
Brian - Thanks! I read something similar about the Japanese eating experience recently.
ReplyDeleteHow true Juliet! The ones in Jamaica are so different from the ones at the shops here in Canada. I was so excited to try one here but gosh what a disappointment that was.
ReplyDeleteLoved your poem on this :)
i suppose most fruits are best where they grow... i tried mango once and didn't like it (it was green, i think)
ReplyDeletei enjoyed your poem, though
We bought two more mangoes tonight, for supper, but they werent as nice as the one I had last night, seems the taste can vary from mango to mango...must take a snap of one for my blog so you can see their colour.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard green mango ripening in the fruit bowl at this very moment ....
ReplyDeleteLove a good mango but try to avoid the ones with that soapy aftertaste!
ReplyDeleteOoooh I love this poem. <3
ReplyDeletemango uploaded to blog!
ReplyDeleteDo visit India for the best Alphonso mangoes. Mumbai is famous for those.
ReplyDeleteI love mangoes but can't have too many of those. Otherwise I end up with stomach cramps.
Nice to know I'm not the only one who's had that problem with mangoes. I like the ending, too.
ReplyDeleteI like my mangos with ground chile -super sweet and spicy. You're right - juicy is better than green.
ReplyDeleteI love mangoes, eat them often, and you're right, the green ones aren't so great. Cool poem, I can relate.
ReplyDeleteWho was it that said: Bang goes the mangoes!
ReplyDeleteThe Asian grocery is usually better than the supermarket for mangoes.
What a disappointment! Of course, even if they had been orange, I suspect that they are not as delicious when shipped over long distances, as they are picked unripe. Tree-ripened fruit is far better. (At least that's true with some of my favourites - pears and apricots, for instance).
ReplyDeleteWe did see some very exotic looking fruit in the Leicester markets and I regret now not buying some to try
Catherine, Polona, Janice - yes definitely fruits better picked off the tree and eaten there and then.
ReplyDeleteDanny - I very rarely go to supermarkets, even the one across the road, smaller shops definitely sell better fruit and veg. I have never eaten mango here since writing this poem though.
Selma - yes its the aftertaste isn't it?
mm - hope it ripens nicely!
Abzdragon, Jo - thanks!
Krissie - thanks for sharing your mango!
Gautami - there are many reasons to visit India...
Christine - that sounds like a good way to eat them!
They're all orange at my supermarket. Come down south!
ReplyDeleteGreat poem. I could taste your words! I have just recently discovered mangoes. My kids and I love them! Isn't it amazing how one prompt from a blog can generate not only a great poem, but all this lively discussion! Gotta love blogland!
ReplyDeleteYou remind me of home, too much,
ReplyDelete"eaten only by people who know
what a stone well aimed at a branch
can dislodge from a mango tree."
been there, done that, most of my childhood holidays were spent in groves full of those mangos, thank you. The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the prompt was mangoes, you said it all! Wonderful.