O at the Edges

Musings on poetry, language, perception, numbers, food, and anything else that slips through the cracks.

My Poem “Bread” Featured on Extract(s)

Posted on April 14, 2015 by robert okaji

My poem “Bread” is featured this week on Extract(s):

http://dailydoseoflit.com/2015/04/14/poem-robert-okaji/

60 thoughts on “My Poem “Bread” Featured on Extract(s)”

Richard Ankers on April 14, 2015 at 8:37 am said:

Congratulations 🙂

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- robert okaji on April 14, 2015 at 9:16 am said:
  
  Thank you, Richard.
  
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  - Richard Ankers on April 14, 2015 at 9:23 am said:
    
    Welcome 🙂
    
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Kathy Boles-Turner on April 14, 2015 at 9:40 am said:

Congrats! “Bread” is incredibly lovely.

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- robert okaji on April 14, 2015 at 2:35 pm said:
  
  Thank you for your kind words.
  
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Ula on April 14, 2015 at 10:41 am said:

Congratulations

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- robert okaji on April 14, 2015 at 10:49 am said:
  
  Thank you.
  
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Nadine Tomlinson on April 14, 2015 at 11:18 am said:

Masterfully written, Robert. Love your use of the metaphor.Congrats on being featured!

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- robert okaji on April 14, 2015 at 2:36 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Nadine. I’m fortunate to have been featured twice on Extract(s).
  
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anyushka on April 14, 2015 at 11:38 am said:

It’s an amazing poem. Thanks for sharing! And congratulations…!

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- robert okaji on April 14, 2015 at 2:37 pm said:
  
  Thank you. I’m pleased it resonates with you.
  
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The Course of Our Seasons on April 14, 2015 at 12:08 pm said:

Such a gorgeous poem – well deserved congratulations

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- robert okaji on April 14, 2015 at 2:37 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much!
  
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Mary Tang on April 14, 2015 at 3:34 pm said:

I devoured it; now I will savour it.

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- robert okaji on April 14, 2015 at 3:43 pm said:
  
  With a good cheese and a glass of hearty wine, I hope! And thank you, Mary.
  
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  - Mary Tang on April 24, 2015 at 12:17 am said:
    
    With a translation:
    
    麵包
    
    那年我們認識了恐懼的真意
    我烘麵包時你搜索醫學網址。
    
    你說：我要先離去才能到步
    否則寧願受自覺的折磨。先別
    
    提及我們的協定。我的麵包需要
    有蓋的烤盤，二十安麵粉，水，酵母，鹽
    
    二十歲那年我熟諳
    香腸作法，宰雞技巧，還有
    
    你髮上的香氣是黎明的晚華。
    那時我們是夜裏的主宰。現在我採集
    
    野生的酵母，削鉛筆，記下要做的事
    斟意大利酒，打算盤。我答應了
    
    你的要求。你說那算是個善舉。
    胰腺培育激素
    
    幫助消化。我切去我左手的
    拇指尖，直至一年後的傷處
    
    還覺麻木。麵團揉成
    球狀，放在上了油的盤中發酵一小時。
    
    我們都愛吃陳年奶酪
    但有不同枕頭的偏愛。你愛
    
    羽絨被，迷兀鷲。
    多年來我們相互依存
    
    從沒研究所以。切紋，
    麵團上蓋後烘三十分鍾，
    
    開蓋再烘十五。
    揉麵團像呼吸：進
    
    退，起，落。烈光令你淚眼汪汪
    因而我會使它變暗。你咽著
    
    說：“跟我談談麵團的揉法”。
    用你的手掌跟，按下
    
    推前，逐步加力壓下
    麵團會在你手下移動
    
    幾分鐘內便會變化。
    
    ‘Bread’ by Robert Okaji
    Translated into Chinese by Mary Tang
    
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gaiainaction on April 14, 2015 at 4:25 pm said:

A perfect ‘still life’

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- robert okaji on April 14, 2015 at 6:58 pm said:
  
  Thank you!
  
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Joseph Nebus on April 14, 2015 at 5:23 pm said:

Congratulations! And it’s a lovely poem.

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- robert okaji on April 14, 2015 at 6:58 pm said:
  
  Thanks, Joseph.
  
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Shery Alexander Heinis on April 14, 2015 at 5:53 pm said:

Your juxtaposition of baking bread and navigating a relationship is quite intriguing. It takes a certain skill to do this successfully. Congrats! I know you have many books in you 🙂

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- robert okaji on April 14, 2015 at 6:59 pm said:
  
  Thanks, Shery. I like to think I have at least one in me!
  
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  - Shery Alexander Heinis on April 14, 2015 at 7:47 pm said:
    
    Hmm…you may have more than you think!
    
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  - robert okaji on April 14, 2015 at 8:48 pm said:
    
    I’ll take them as they come. But yes, more would be better. 🙂
    
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Wren on April 14, 2015 at 9:26 pm said:

Beautiful poem, thanks for sharing.

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- robert okaji on April 15, 2015 at 6:57 pm said:
  
  Thanks for reading!
  
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Lynda Bullerwell poetry on April 14, 2015 at 11:14 pm said:

Amazing poem! Congrats!!!!! ❤

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- robert okaji on April 15, 2015 at 5:40 am said:
  
  It’s good to hear from you, Lynda. Thanks very much!
  
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Elle on April 16, 2015 at 1:30 am said:

congratulations!

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- robert okaji on April 16, 2015 at 9:03 am said:
  
  Thank you!
  
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Charlotte Hamrick on April 16, 2015 at 11:56 pm said:

Wonderful, skillful, sensitive poem. Congrats!

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- robert okaji on May 18, 2015 at 11:57 am said:
  
  Thank you, Charlotte. Much appreciated!
  
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jaime denis on April 17, 2015 at 2:04 pm said:

your best if you ask me.

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- robert okaji on April 17, 2015 at 2:09 pm said:
  
  Thank you. I’m glad you think so.
  
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gipsiewonderer on May 8, 2015 at 2:30 pm said:

Reblogged this on CRONE WISDOM OR SENILE DEMENTIA?.

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- robert okaji on May 8, 2015 at 2:36 pm said:
  
  Thanks for reblogging!
  
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dweezer19 on May 9, 2015 at 9:11 pm said:

That’s awesome.

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- robert okaji on May 18, 2015 at 11:57 am said:
  
  Thank you.
  
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Ellen Hawley on May 15, 2015 at 5:35 am said:

Damn that’s good. So much of the “poetry” on blogs is–well, it demands the quotation marks, so I almost didn’t click the link. Glad I did. This is the real stuff. Like the bread: wild yeast, a slow rise, a texture that can’t be faked.

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- robert okaji on May 18, 2015 at 11:59 am said:
  
  Thank you, Ellen. This one “rested” for about 20 months. A slow rise, indeed!
  
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  - Ellen Hawley on May 18, 2015 at 12:05 pm said:
    
    That’s how the best bread is made.
    
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  - robert okaji on May 18, 2015 at 12:33 pm said:
    
    Cooking has taught me the power of patience (and preparation)!
    
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Mel on May 17, 2015 at 8:09 pm said:

Beautiful! I’m so glad you liked my blog so that I could find you and follow you. I have a major love for poetry, and I especially enjoyed this one. Congrats on the feature! I look forward to reading more of your work.

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- robert okaji on May 18, 2015 at 12:04 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much. I’m going to have to grow garlic, if only to attempt your inspiring garlic scape pesto.
  
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Opher on May 20, 2015 at 3:48 pm said:

That’s brilliant – well done!!
Best wishes
Opher

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- robert okaji on May 21, 2015 at 1:58 pm said:
  
  You’re very kind. Thank you.
  
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flowerpoet on May 24, 2015 at 3:24 pm said:

Thank you for sharing your ‘Bread’ – also for reminding me of how it felt to knead bread and that kind of intimacy.

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- robert okaji on May 24, 2015 at 4:32 pm said:
  
  You’re very welcome. And thanks for reading it! There is something intimate about kneading dough, isn’t there?
  
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conniecockrell on May 25, 2015 at 10:29 am said:

Congratulations! It’s always nice to get a piece published somewhere. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

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- robert okaji on May 25, 2015 at 12:45 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Connie!
  
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Fatima Bukhari on June 6, 2015 at 2:54 am said:

Congrats!

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- robert okaji on June 6, 2015 at 8:20 am said:
  
  Thank you.
  
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renobarb on June 9, 2015 at 9:50 pm said:

A belated but sincere congratulations. Beautiful imagery: kneading as breathing, it is so meditative and soothing.

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- robert okaji on June 10, 2015 at 5:52 am said:
  
  Thanks very much.
  
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Mary Rowen on June 19, 2015 at 7:26 pm said:

What a beautiful poem and congratulations on the publication!

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- robert okaji on June 20, 2015 at 3:29 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Mary. I’m very fortunate to have been published twice by Extract(s).
  
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nvsubbaraman on July 2, 2015 at 2:09 am said:

Beautifully written. Congrats.

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- robert okaji on July 2, 2015 at 9:19 am said:
  
  Thank you!
  
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genegryniewicz on July 19, 2015 at 7:26 am said:

I love it!

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- robert okaji on July 19, 2015 at 7:37 am said:
  
  Thanks very much.
  
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