Fat Bomb: You Can Write a Poem About Anything

Fat Bomb

My ketegenic trek
launched last week.

I must cut
carbohydrate consumption
especially
provisions packed
with processed sugars.

Swap sweets
with nuts,
string cheese 
when belly complains.

I’ve held
fast for a week
and survived

Yet, now
I glare at this bowl,
creamy cold,
smothered in caramel,
hot fudge
and whipped topping.

Dark chocolate
is a heart-healthy cheat
allowed in a ketogenic diet.

Right?

The sticky-sweet snack
a refreshing respite
from salty crunch
of nuts and cheese chunks

A spoonful of sweet cream
somersaults and thaws
stampeding across my tongue
pumping anxious intensity
throughout my veins

Sundae cheat
high calorie treat
consumed
in deliberate moderation

“That’s a Strange Topic for a Poem”

I believe that you can write a poem about anything. We often get caught up in the classic, dramatic flair of romance or despair, but even the most mundane or unusual ideas can become the subject of an intriguing poem. I decided to test that theory by writing this piece about the ketogenic diet.

The first step was to cut the fluff and get to the meaty stuff, just like the diet recommends. I think I did an adequate job with that. Are there metaphors, alliteration, and other literary value here? That is for readers to judge.

Exploring Unusual Topics

Choosing something out of the ordinary for a topic can stretch us as writers. For me, it requires a little research to get familiar enough to scratch out ideas. After my first draft, I search for possible metaphors hidden behind the words. Then, I arrange any emerging rhyming patterns and alliteration.

If you do not already do this, try choosing an unusual topic as the centerpiece of your next poem. Here are some ideas to begin:

• plunger
• extension cord
• hubcap
• spatula
• garden rake
• shoelace
• mousetrap
• cinder block
• shopping cart
• bottle cap

Invitation:

Pick one of these everyday objects and challenge yourself to shape it into a poem. I invite you to share your finished piece or a link to it in the comments. I would love to see how you bring unexpected subjects to life.