your words
are not so crass
as to drip acid
when bromelain
suits your pretension
oh-so-well
i watch
as the surface
of your tongue
dissolves
with misinformation
and over-ripe gluttony
but
the stain
on my optimistic
tablecloth
is machine-washable
Author notes
I chose the option 'pineapple' 
Did you know that the funny feeling that it gives your tongue when you eat too much is because it has a protease enzyme called 'bromelain'? It works as a meat tenderiser and dissolves the protein from your tongue (which, incidentally is made up of protein and water 
) - also, you can't make proper pineapple jelly because the bromelain doesn't allow the sugar to set properly? And that it causes balls of fibre to form in your digestive tract? The moral of this story - don't eat too much pineapple no matter how sweet you might think it is 
A contest entry
- quick[ie] as a fox by notorious.
646 points, ended October 29, 2008, 12 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
The end doesn't like me - the feeling is mutual.
Comments
1 - 13 of 13
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This is such a fab take on the prompt! Makes me think of people who constantly want to give you their opinions.. meh, they're wash and wear type people I say lol
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That is brilliant wordplay.
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Ohhh you made edits & didn't tell me!!!
LOVE the new ending, Lly. -
Firstly, you should be an encyclopaedia. All I can say is at least there was some consolation in all of that. I had no idea about all of that pineapple facts...someone gave me some pineapple the other day and I can't remember who. It wasn't you was it?
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Wow I loved your poem and thanks for all the information on pineapples. I suffer from diverticulitous and wow a ball of fiber stuck in could be a very big problem for me. Wonderful poem good luck in the contest my friend. hugs Theresa
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I love that you usually manage to enlighten me with your AN...
I know that fuzzy feeling after the eatage of pineapples, LoL.
'overripe'<--no hyphen needed, unless you meant to make an emphasis
Tell me if you continue tweaking the ending Lly.
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Do you know when you are talking down to someone that you think is an idiot and you emphasise every.single.word. ... I was kind of going for that effect ... I shall leave it for a day or so and then see if I come to any conclusions about the ending ... I like the stain on the table ... but it keeps jumping off the page
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Coolio (;
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Did you choose poker-faced???
Or pineapple?
I don't know!
Put it in your AN, I've had a guess. LoL.
This poem gives me an uppity feel, like looking down on an asshole and making them feel stupid.
"suits your pretension"
Exactly what I was thinking...
The ending isn't bad at all!!
It's short and sweet, although I'd suggest possibly leaving out the 'with' and just making it:
"i watch
as the surface
of your tongue
dissolves
misinformation"
I think it's better like that...you could expand the ending, but honestly, it's fine the way it is.
If you DID want to expand it...well, maybe something like this:
"i watch
as the surface
of your tongue
dissolves
misinformation;
you leave a watermark
on the table" <--you know, something that describes the scene and feels disjunct, but not??
I don't know.
Thanks for entering, Lllllyyyy
Jessica
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I shall wrangle some more with the last part ... notes are up you were right in one of your guesses see - wasn't so hard at all!
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yay!
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This is great! I don't know if you'll add or if this is it, but I love this!!!
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My ass!!! Can't wait, Lly.
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