Explication of "The Health-Food Diner"

The Health-Food Diner is a satirical poem written by Maya Angelou. Angelou utilizes clever diction and rhyming in this poem to hook readers. Th poem is effective in being comical and clearly getting across its satirical nature. The subject of the poem is people who are overly obsessed with eating healthy. The speaker of the poem mocks this healthy eaters while talking about her interest in fattening foods that are full of protein such as steak and breaded veal. By Angelou writing in the first person the reader is better able to connect with the speaker and relate to the frustration she has with all of these people sacrificing delicious food for "zucchini by the ton" and many other health foods.

Angelou wrote this during a time when the wave of healthy eating was just becoming extremely popular. Angelou mocks the excessive health freaks comically in this poem. The rhyme scheme also adds a a lot of personality to the poem because it gives the speaker a sarcastic tone that makes it clear that she thinks this health nuts are ridiculous. Angelou expresses the fact that she does not feel the need to deprive herself of the food she enjoys so fully and thinks those who do deserve mocking. Angelou effectively changes the tone and diction when she goes from talking about health foods to meat to portray her feelings to readers.

The speaker's view is that no matter what the new trend is she will stay true to herself just has she has stayed true to being a carnivore during this seemingly obnoxious health kick that everyone else around her seems to be on. The speaker is not ashamed of her desires for unhealthy foods and thinks that others are foolish to sacrifice meat to look thin. The diction and rhyme scheme in this poem effectively give it a satirical tone and alert the reader of Angelou's aversion to health food and her definite preference of meat.