national poetry month

It's April 1st, and yes, while it's April Fool's Day, it also marks the start of National Poetry Month! I like poetry, not necessarily writing it, but reading, definitely! One of my favorite novelists, Margaret Atwood, is also quite the accomplished poet, so here is one of her poems titled: They eat out.

In restaurants we argue
over which of us will pay for your funeral

though the real question is
whether or not I will make you immortal.

At the moment only I
can do it and so

I raise the magic fork
over the plate of beef fried rice

and plunge it into your heart.
There is a faint pop, a sizzle

and through your own split head
you rise up glowing;

the ceiling opens
a voice sings Love Is A
Many

Splendoured Thing
you hang suspended above the city

in
blue tights and a red cape,
your eyes flashing in unison.

The other
diners regard you
some with awe, some only with bordom:

they cannot
decide if you are a new weapon
or only a new advertisement.

As for
me, I continue eating;
I liked you better the way you were,
but you were
always ambitious.

Okay, so kind of morbid, but that's just how she is.

On a lighter note, and I do mean lighter, she also has a recipe up at Epicurious for a Baked Lemon Custard.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

From Epicurious:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and lemon peel in large bowl to blend. Beat in egg yolks. Stir in flour in three additions alternately with buttermilk in two additions. Stir in lemon juice. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into yolk mixture. Divide batter among prepared cups. Place ramekins in roasting pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of cups.

Bake until cakes are set in center and beginning to brown, about 35 minutes. Remove ramekins from water bath. Serve hot or cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate.)

Now, I have yet to try this, but I definitely, definitely want to--lemons and custard! What can be more refreshing as a dessert! (Yes, n, this is a hint.) Don't you think so? Especially for spring!