Garlic
“Garlic,” bio-functionally-informed dating advice from a College Professor of Nutrition. written March 9, poem 068 in a series of 365 poems written by Diana Ludwick in 2026. Photo: "Garlic and Flowers in Aix-en-Provence," by Diana Ludwick (c) 2026.
During orientation week
of each college semester
my mother the professor
offers as life advice to
the young adult students
in her Nutrition classes
a sole tip on dating:
Find someone
who loves you
who also loves
to eat garlic;
Then, eat
a lot of garlic
together.
Because, she says:
You will both
build healthy hearts
and strong
immune systems
and perhaps
prevent cancer
— you'll definitely stink —
and you'll live
happily ever after.
