Read the background information about José Olivarez and his poem “Ode to Cheese Fries.” Then, answer all parts of the related essay question. “Ode to Cheese Fries” by José Olivarez Background: José Olivarez, the son of Mexican immigrants, is an award-winning poet and podcast host of The Poetry Gods. His work has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, The Paris Review, and other publications. golden goo of artificial delicious what probably lines my stomach with sunlike grease for weeks after eating the yellow so yellow it could only be manufactured so what if it's fake as much cheese content as Apple Jolly Ranchers i come from a city of foreclosure empty lot city where we got dollar store brand action figures so what my Wolverine didn't have retractable claws or the right uniform so my joy at Pano's my favorite fried everything spot the cashier's voice a box of Newports filtered through throat i didn't know i would miss this home where the patties come from freezers and maybe not ever from cows or even animals i live in a city that brags about its organic fair trade quinoa fed beef of course i miss the '90s pop playing the restaurant the Backstreet Boys live in Cal City where the band never breaks up the song plays on repeat as the cashier takes my order say it with me cheese fries please give me everything artificial including cardboard fries the bread fresh out of some Walmart cloning experiment throw in a cold pop i want a joy so fake it stains my insides and never fades away Text Attribution Olivarez, José. About José Olivarez. Retrieved from Jose Olivarez (opens in a new window). ---. “Ode to Cheese Fries.” Chicago Tribune Digital Edition. Retrieved from the Chicago Tribune (opens in a new window). [Used with written permission]. By incorporating evidence from the poem, describe and evaluate the poet’s use of figurative language, imagery, or symbolism and direct or implied meanings and write a claim and reasoning that feature correct subject-verb agreement.
