Pepper Sonnet
“Pepper Sonnet” is exactly what it sounds like: a poetic tribute, in sonnet form, to the humble pepper. A pepper? Seriously? Hey, here in The Renaissance Garden Guy, everyone gets a fair shake. Even peppers. So relax, enjoy the tribute, take a bite out of a pepper, and mind your own Scoville units.
Pepper Sonnet
John G. Stamos
Nestled among your leaves and stems you wait,
Your bright colors catching each wand’ring eye.
What lies within your reds and greens, what fate
Awaits the wanting, tempted passerby?
Your sly bounty offers no rhyme or scheme,
Nor aids unwitting grazers in their quest,
To know if either hot or sweet bursts teem,
Within the shining confines of your breast.
Perfect little pepper you hold in store,
A secret that only the brave will learn.
Intrepid samplers of your rind and core,
Must bite to know your sweet or feel your burn.
The sting or balm your simple form belies,
Is noted and remembered by the wise.
“Pepper Sonnet” ©2024. John G. Stamos and The Renaissance Garden Guy
“Pepper Sonnet” was conceived while I was watering my hot pepper plants this morning. The individual peppers of these particular plants are scorchingly hot, but no one would ever know this just by looking at their simple forms. I was thinking about how deceptively innocuous these painfully hot peppers appeared when the idea of writing a little shorty about that very incongruity popped into my head. So, I jotted it down this afternoon so that you guys could read it this evening. A refreshing departure from my typical long-windedness, no? Thanks for having a go of it – I hope you liked it.
I’ve got just a couple quick notes for you right here. If you liked “Pepper Sonnet,” and you want to check out more of my original writing that I’ve published here in The RGG, please visit Blogging, Writing, and Original Works.” And please remember to visit The Renaissance Garden Guy Photo Gallery for continually updated garden pics and more, and Seeds and Veggies (to see some of my hot peppers in action).
As always, my dear readers and subscribers, I thank you for your kind interest and your readership.
Cheers, and Happy Gardening!
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Wonderful, as always. You will have to let everyone know just how hot they are. That is the question you must answer. I do not think they will be for the faint of heart, or in this case, the weak of stomach! Great writing!
Thank you, Kevin, for giving this one a read and for your kind compliment – I really appreciate that. After I eat a few of these things, I’ll definitely report the heat index to RGG readers (assuming I’m still breathing). Thanks once again, Kevin!
Absolutely wonderful….
Love your poetry 🩷🌸
Thank you so much, Roxxy – I really appreciate that. I guess I really just felt like talking about peppers – I’m so glad you liked my little tribute! Thank you again!
The GKids know the difference between hot peppers and sweet peppers. They only grow sweet peppers in their raised beds. But, Granddaddy loves hot peppers. (that’s what the GKids remind everyone about)
They have started choosing fresh ground black pepper on sandwiches and such. So proud of them.
On another topic- I recently read that Adam Richman of Man vs Food almost died in Season 2 at a food challenge to eat ghost pepper chicken wings. What he didn’t know is the “chef” did not want him to win so he poured an entire bottle of ghost pepper oil in the sauce he used on the wings. Richman’s nose, mouth and throat swelled up so bad he almost died because he couldn’t breath.
Pepper ARE good and fun…unless they are trying to kill you!
Enjoyed your sonnet whilst wearing a sun bonnet. (lol)
Thank you for reading it, Lane, and thank you for your own little lyrical flourish there at the end – brava! It’s great that your little ones can tell the difference between hot and mild/sweet peppers. That’ll save them a lot of grief, for sure. As for me, outside of a few obvious varieties, I have no idea what’s hot and what’s sweet or mild. I’ve been living on the edge in the world of pepper-biting. I experienced a similar response to Richman’s once when I bit into an unknown variety. Knocked me on my ass. I still have no idea what it was, and, sadly, I’ll probably have a repeat experience. I’m definitely not smarter than a fifth-grader, or your grandkids! Thanks once again, Lane – I really do appreciate your kindness and your interest.
Short and wonderful.
Thank you so much, Rick. I appreciate your reading it, and I’m very happy that you liked it. (I had to keep this one short – a burning mouth and gastric distress from the hot peppers I was eating yesterday forced a truncated feature!) Thanks again, Rick!
Love it – you should definitely publish more poetry!
Many thanks, Nenad – I really appreciate that. I’m glad you feel I did Pepperdom justice with my little sonnet! Peppers are awesome – I wonder why Shakespeare never touted their qualities in his work!
Thank you! This brightened my day. My life couldn’t continue without a continuous supply of sweet bell peppers, although I like to put a hot pepper in the chili now and then. I’m happy that you took the humble everyday pepper (sweet or hot) and turned it into a verbal feast.
Thank you so much, Mary, for reading my little poem and for commenting here. I’m so glad you liked it. And I definitely agree with your position on the life-sustaining qualities of peppers. Sweet bell peppers definitely do rock, but it’s the burning hot varieties that really light my fire – I can’t do without them! (Masochism and hot pepper consumption… someone should write a paper on the correlation.) Thank you again, Mary!