A Poem About Tomatoes

     I'm taking a writing course and the instructor is a fan of poetry. At the beginning of each class, he hands out poems. We then read them and make attempts to interpret the meaning(s). The instructor explained that learning poetry is good for longer writing projects because every word must count when writing poems. Thus, learning poetry can help one write with less filler.
     Last class period, the instructor asked us to write a poem about tomatoes and we were given 7 minutes. This is what I wrote:

Tomatoes
by Bryan Singleton

I used to hate you
your bitter taste and slimy texture
were the scourge of my childhood

At the dinner table with no dinner
you and I alone, we met many times
but never because of friendship

but now I know you better
with lycopenes and with pizza
you are a friendly feast


     I read my poem aloud in class and the instructor asked if I had any experience writing poems. I said that I just "made it up" and had no experience. This is true; I have no formal training in poetry. What I do have is years of reading, so that may explain why I can write "good" poetry with no experience. The instructor and everyone in the class liked my poem.
     I then went on to explain the poem to the class. When I was younger, my parents made me eat tomatoes as punishment when I got bad notices from school. I really hated tomatoes, so it was an especially brutal punishment.