I recently heard someone in a hair salon say, "Asparagus? Now, I feel that is the weirdest vegetable." I had been getting my hair washed, so I missed whatever conversation had come before, and I am not sure that context matters.
The idea of a weirdest vegetable is perfect inspiration for a poem.
This week, you have 2 choices for your prompt.
First, you can write about what you consider the weirdest vegetable. Its weirdness does not have to be part of your piece, although it can be. You can write about a vegetable's cultural significance, as January Gill O'Neil did with okra in today's blog poem.
Or you can write about asparagus, and again, you can choose to frame your poem as an exploration of the weirdness of asparagus if you like. Here are some facts about asparagus to help get you started.
1.) China produces the most asparagus in the world.
2.) Purple asparagus turns green when cooked.
3.) White asparagus is created by keeping green asparagus out of the sunlight, mostly by
keeping it under dirt. It is extemely labor-intensive, which is why it is so expensive. It
is also less nutritious than green asparagus.
4.) Asparagus is 93% water.
5.) You have to wait about 3 years after planting asparagus seeds for the plants to grow
enough to harvest. However, once asparagus does grow, it will reproduce for up
to 20 years.
6.) Thicker stems mean an older plant.
7.) Asparagus spears are male or female.
8.) People have eaten asparagus since ancient times (as in B.C. ancient times).
9.)The word "asparagus" comes from Greek which comes from Persian.
10.) In order of most asparagus consumption: China, Peru, USA, Germany, and Mexico.
11.) White asparagus is most popular in Europe.
12.) During hot weather, asparagus can grow up to 7 inches a day.
13.) Every year in April, you can travel to Stockton, CA and attend the San Joaquin
Asparagus Festival.
14.) One spear has 3 calories.
15.) Towns in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and South Carolina all proclaim themselves
as the Asparagus Capital of the United States.
