Season 3 Episode 49: Poems and Haikus Ft. The Listeners!

Ready to have some fun? A few weeks ago I asked listeners to submit poems and haikus related to dietetics. I got 10+ submissions. Who knew RDs loved to write poetry?! 

Tune into this laid back episode and get ready to smile and laugh.  Make sure you check out my Instagram to see video clips of the submissions. 

@Freelance.Dietitian

Did you miss last week’s episode? You can tune in here: Live Cooking Demonstrations

Full Transcript:

Hey, everyone. I hope that you’re having a great week. If you’re joining after the American Thanksgiving weekend, I hope you had a lovely weekend. If you do celebrate the holiday and for Canadians. I hope you also had a lovely weekend too.

Today. I wanted to shake things up and just have a really fun, low key episode. Where we just have a chance to laugh and feel connected to each other. And that connection comes from all the listeners who wrote in with a poem or a haiku style poem about dietetics.

I had this idea in my brain to bring this to life and it would not have been possible without the listeners writing in. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you all very much. You are so fun and so cool and brave. And today we’re going to showcase all the poems. I hope at the end of the day, like I mentioned, it just gives you something to smile about.

A few podcasts episodes ago I did mention that there’s been so much frustration. I mean, there’s always been underlying frustration in the field, but on LinkedIn, I’m seeing it talked about more and more, and I just thought, yeah, we need a break.

We need something to remind us why we’re even dietitians in the first place and something that just makes you feel less alone.

If you are somebody who’s feeling frustrated. If you’re not in that camp and you feel great, then good for you. And I’m very happy for you.

I wanted to start off the episode by reading out some of the poems that I got and everyone just so you know, if I share a name on the podcast, I did get consent from them before saying their name. And then I’m going to share some audio clips. And if you check out my Instagram, I even did a compilation of all the videos, uh, of RDS who recorded themselves saying their poem, which I thought was so fun and so cool.

For some context. Again, I didn’t, I didn’t like specify rules for this, cause it’s just supposed to be a fun project. I left it wide open to whatever your creative brains could come up with. As long as it was something related to dietetics. So people wrote about favorite foods, they wrote about ha ha moments.

They wrote about frustrations that they’re experiencing right now. So we’ll keep an open mind and listen to them all. And I’m sure some of them will hit you harder than others and you can relate to them.

So, let me open up the very first. Haikus, which was sent in by an and as a dietitian who was actually one of my mentors. And she worked in eating disorders for a long time. And now she works in oncology. And she loved this assignment, so I’m going to pull it up. So this is some of her haikus from Anne.

Steaming in the bowl. Oatmeal cooked long and slow. Add berries, nuts and milk.

Ah, it’s so good. I thought that was awesome.

Okay, what else? She also loves fruit salads and she wrote a fruit salad.

One. Red blue peach, maroon fruit salad in crystal bowl. Sweet sour, tangy joy.

Oh, I love it. Okay. Here’s another.

Still warm from the sun. Tomatoes from the garden. Juicy sweetness. Yum.

Mm, I’m recording this right before dinner, by the way, I am hungry now.

And last and not least, I thought this was very profound. Also from Anne. The biggest sadness. Nutrition made into rules. Devoid of pleasure.

So true. How true is that? I was just talking to another colleague where all the food rules just make it way too complicated sometimes.

Okay. Here is another haiku from Iris. She’s a dietitian who has her own business called the sweet beet. I’ll tag her so you can check her out. Her haiku is called for the love of carbs. Hell yes, Iris. It says: buttered toasted. Plane. In a sandwich or to dip. Can’t go wrong with bread.

I’m not lying. When I said, I read that poem once a day for the five days after I received it, because it was just so sweet and so cute. And I do love carbs. I’m a savory gal. So as much as I can get I’m taking it. Thank you for writing those in.

Here’s a longer style poem from Hilary. This is a primary care dietitian.

She only wants what she thinks she can’t have. A cookie in the night. It has caused such a plight. A cookie in the night. But the woman is bright. And soon she learns not to fear what she yearns. For permission is the mission and only condition. A cookie. She might be done with the fight.

You know, that was a great story. I could see that playing out in my brain. Well done, Hilary. I thought that was very creative and the message is clear. Eat the cookie.

And the last one that I wanted to read before I start playing the audio files is from Olivia. Olivia and I did our internship together. So did me and Iris by the way. So it’s cool that we’re still pals. And Olivia’s Instagram is at the nutty olive. So you should definitely follow her. She posts delicious recipes.

Here’s her poem. Eat the colors of the rainbow they say. So that your bowels don’t later pay. Ensuring your tum feels okay. Is most important today.

Yes. Love that. And she put in a second one here.

Remember to eat what makes you happy. Especially if you don’t want to feel crappy. Keep hydrated and fit in your nappies. Because maintaining good health keeps you sharp and snappy.

Love that they literally bring a smile to my face. They’re so cute.

Let’s start doing some of the audio clips and you can hear directly from other listeners, which. Is so cool. For the very first audio clip i am bringing on Kate she was a past guest. It’s the podcast episode Number 25, which one’s titled freelancing before freelancing was cool excuse me And this is her poem that she wrote and narrated and it’s called i lie at parties enjoy.

I lie at parties. I’m not proud about it. It’s not to be malicious or even remotely vicious. It’s a white lie, a harmless lie, that kind that keeps me from ruining the party for you and I at the party. I’m new to you. So we start asking questions out of the blue. It’s the right thing to do, but then you ask what I.

Oh, now, isn’t that a difficult question? I get it. You need to ask. Typically, it’s on the list of tasks to getting to know me. Otherwise, you look like an ask me again, maybe about my dog instead, or if my IUs is dead. This question really fills me with dread, and here’s why. Because if I tell you I’m a dietitian, it will then become your mission to do one of the following.

You will study the food in my hand and weigh its value against some diet plan. Suddenly the chip in my hand, formally bland, might as well expand into a lethal weapon. Or perhaps you hold the chip with the dip, and when I let it slip, you feel the need to clip my answer with your own, that you don’t condone the snack that you own.

The truth is, I don’t care, but you think I do that I’m judging you and it just isn’t true. So I lie to you. I’m a veterinarian.

Wasn’t that so great. That was like professional level.

The next submission we have is also from a dietitian who was on the show. This is Sarah Kerr and she was a season opener on season two of the podcast. Here she is with her poem.

So while I’m here hanging out with my cats, I thought I’d read my haiku that I wrote about working from home with a cat. So, uh, I’m not like a spoken word sort. Poet and I haven’t written a poem in years, but anyway, here it goes. Um, tiny horse, meows food, meow food, meow food, productive. I wish. Um, and then the second one I wrote is finally seated, trying to get in the zone.

They demand more food, so I’m sure that’s relatable to other people who have been stuck at home at some point during the last two years working from home with a cat. So many distractions. But it’s so cute. Anyway, bye.

Thank you so much for writing in Sarah and sending an audio clip. These are so cool. I’m going to bring on the next one which is from kelsey again kelsey was a guest from the podcast in the past she did the episode about food labeling so here’s her poem

Tart creamy yogurt Berry. Berry is a must and honey to touch.

Loved that. Thank you, Kelsey. now you’re going to hear from my dietitian BFF. I call her sarah spice and she works in clinical we went to school together and she’s always been so fun we both have holiday birthdays and i always joke that that’s why we’re such a blast and a glass Here’s sarah now.

Food for thought. Don’t get caught, caught up in the rules, or you’ll end up eating like a fool.

Don’t be furious. Be curious. Making lifestyle changes can feel mysterious. One day at a time is more than fine.

Yay. I love that. I wanted to set, sorry. I wanted to put in an excerpt from a dietitian who also has a podcast. She sent this, she said it was a poetic moment from her recent podcast episode. Um, and she asked me to include it. So this is Sandra is submission. Her podcast is called my wife the dietitian.

To be or not to be. That is the question. Yeah, that’d be a good episode. Dan . We’ll do it all about vitamin B. That’s a good i B. Yeah. There’s so many of them. B one, B two, B three. O B one. Cano. Oh, that’s a good title too. . There we go. We got lots here.

Thanks sandra. i am moving on to a submission from Johna. Johna has probably the best style I have seen jonah big props love your glasses love the way that you are always wearing colors and the pictures i see what online.

You are so awesome and also such a tremendous writer. I love reading all the articles you post. Thanks so much for putting your submission in. Let’s listen to Johna’s poem.

dietitian with a tea and sometimes a C. We advise to eat fiber, healthy, fat, and protein. We’ll ask, how’s your poop and how often you pee? Because we’re also a part of the interdisciplinary care team.

Love it. That was such a fun one to end. I do have one more, but I’m going to close the show with that submission because it’s a bit longer. It’s an improv story by Krystal, she was a guest on the show. She did the episode about improv.

Before I wrap it up though, again, I just wanted to get blah, blah, blah. I just wanted to say thank you so much to all the RDS who wrote in submissions who sent in video files or audio files. I think as a listener for a podcast it’s so cool to hear from other people who are also listening to the same show.

It just makes it come to life and it makes you feel more like they’re your kin and we’re all connected. And I just thought this was a really special experiment that totally took off.

In the spirit of keeping things light and fun. I’m not going to do a ramble to close this episode. I’m just going to let you guys marinate in these, go back and listen to them as much as you want.

Please if you feel up for it, or if you remember send these authors a message and just say, thank you so much for coming up with that poem. I thought it was hilarious or meaningful or totally resonated with me because these people went out of their way to produce free content for us so we could all enjoy it. So I think a nod of appreciation goes a long way. Everyone’s going to be tagged on the Instagram post so you can go find them there.

Um, like I said, we just pat each other on the back and help to boost that morale and feel good. Alrighty. So next week I am going to be what’s next week. Next week, I’m going to be releasing an episode with Bubba, Bubba, Bubba com Holly Larson.

Holly Larson is a dietitian and copywriter. She is one of my role models. I wanted to interview her last year, but she had her baby.

So obviously she was adjusting to motherhood. And we actually talk about that on. On the podcast next week. What it’s like to be a copywriter first and foremost. What it’s like to of course, parent, while trying to run your small business. What’s your secret to pumping out a lot of writing during the week while still maintaining some semblance of normalcy in her schedule, especially now with the little one at home.

She is so soft-spoken, she’s So mellow i am Very excited when i talked to a guest on the podcast i definitely bring the energy up and she was so zen and i felt myself just matching Her energy and just slowing down and meeting her where she was at. And it was very relaxing and i enjoyed it quite a bit so hopefully you guys will love hearing from her too.

she’s such a tremendous role model and just like the sweetest She all she just wants all of us succeed just like the best role model. Okay That’s an ever idling for me here’s the final improv story Which can come

The only improv dietitian i know. Krystal, take us home and to everyone have a great week i hope this made you smile And i’ll see you next tuesday

Gather round people it’s story time. Once there was a dietitian named Sam Zena who lived on the planet Sika, and every day Sam Zena would talk to the towns people of the great plants and foods found on their land. until one day the town crier bellowed that Sam Zeina was a fraud and that Sam Zeina told all the towns people to eat sugar cock and that this was fined when it was in fact not.

The town’s people were confused. How could they not listen to the town crier when their bellows were so loud?

Samina was devastated. Samina only wanted the best for her town’s people, and Samina knew that the sugar GOs was nothing to be alarmed about.

Samina thought long and hard, what to do about this conundrum. They thought I could take the plant sugar Gox and ram it down the throat of that town crier, but to las that gave Samina another. As a result, the next day, Samina went to the town, crier home, presenting the town crier with a baked cake, delicious containing sugar Cox, and ever since then, the dietitian.

Shares the food of the land and presents it to her town’s people, all while wearing earplugs to prevent entry of such bellows of such great sorrow. The end.