1516: Citrus Paradisi by Arah Ko

Summary

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The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

Episode 1516: Citrus Paradisi by Arah Ko
Host: Maggie Smith
Date: May 15, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, host Maggie Smith uses the poem "Citrus Paradisi" by Arah Ko as a gateway into themes of family tradition, sensory experience, friendship, and resilience. Drawing from her own memories of apple picking, Smith reflects on how the simple act of eating fruit connects us with nature, memory, and one another. The centerpiece is a vivid, emotionally resonant poem about grapefruits, weaving together sensory delight, vulnerability, and the bonds of friendship.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Power of Attention and Tradition

• [01:19–01:55] Maggie Smith opens with a memory of annual family apple picking trips, describing the ritual of group photos and the tactile joy of eating an apple fresh from the tree.
  • She highlights how these traditions transcend generations and root the family in both place and memory:

    “The crisp sweetness of an apple plucked right from the tree is something I’ll never outgrow. And it’s poetry. It links our individual experience directly to the environment.” (Maggie Smith, 01:52–02:10)

• Smith frames fruit as a poetic symbol—central in parables and reminders of nature’s gift:

  “Fruit itself is a reminder of the land, trees, bush and vine that grew it, of how the earth works so hard to make life and to make life that is sweet.” (Maggie Smith, 02:16–02:26)

Introducing Today’s Poem

• [02:27–02:45] Smith introduces “Citrus Paradisi,” noting her fascination with its lush sensory details and its power to merge the bitter and the sweet, both in taste and emotion.

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“Citrus Paradisi” by Arah Ko

(Full reading, [02:46–06:37])

The poem is a sensory journey through place, taste, memory, and survival:

• Vivid references to Chicago’s “sunny kitchen,” grapefruit aromas, wintry streets, and the feel of “wool coats.”
• Personal vulnerability:

  “Smelling like the January I almost killed myself but didn’t.” (Arah Ko, 05:10)

• Reflection on medication and the odd, poignant ways daily life is shaped by wellness:

  “Did you know some people on depression medication can’t eat grapefruit? Not even the La Croix flavor, not even ruby reds …” (Arah Ko, 04:15–04:30)

• A beautiful simile on friendship’s variety:

  “They say there are as many kinds of friendship as fruit or cars.” (Arah Ko, 05:40)

• The poem closes with gratitude for friendship and resilience, tethered to the act of eating fruit:

  “I ate one this morning, thumbs dug deeply in thick skin, glad to be alive and every time I eat one I think of you.” (Arah Ko, 06:20–06:35)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• The Universality of Fruit:

  “Apples are front and center in some of our best known stories, parables of knowledge and truth.” (Maggie Smith, 02:11–02:15)

• Connections Across Time & Experience:

  “The poem itself is delicious.” (Maggie Smith, 02:44)

• Survival and Everyday Joy:

  “Smelling like the January I almost killed myself but didn’t.” (Arah Ko, 05:10)
  “I ate one this morning, thumbs dug deeply in thick skin, glad to be alive and every time I eat one I think of you.” (Arah Ko, 06:20–06:35)

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Important Timestamps

• 01:19 — Maggie Smith shares her apple picking tradition
• 02:27 — Smith introduces “Citrus Paradisi” and its sensory appeal
• 02:46–06:37 — Full reading of Arah Ko’s “Citrus Paradisi”
• Key moments in poem (for emotional impact):
  • 04:15 — On depression medication and grapefruit
  • 05:10 — Vulnerability and survival
  • 05:40 — Meditation on friendship

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Tone and Style

The episode is warm, reflective, and intimate—inviting listeners to pause, appreciate sensory beauty, and consider the bittersweet moments that bind us to each other and to life itself. The mix of personal anecdote and poetry bridges everyday experiences with universal themes of memory, survival, and gratitude.

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Summary Takeaway

Through personal reflection and the resonant language of “Citrus Paradisi,” Maggie Smith guides listeners to savor the sweetness and complexity of being alive, finding hope and connection in the ordinary—whether through family ritual, a bite of fruit, or the sustaining ties of friendship.

Transcript

[Call to Mind Narrator]

Anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder. At least half of us will experience a mental illness in our lifetime. In a new series of special reports from Call to Mind, we hear about the mental health impact of stress, climate change, immigration and more. Tune in for conversations with people managing hardship and experts seeking solutions. Listen to Call to Mind from American Public Media.

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[Maggie Smith]

I'm Maggie Smith, and this is the Slowdown.

Every September for as long as I can remember, I've gone apple picking with my family at Lynn's Fruit Farm in Pataskala, Ohio. The tradition started with my parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins when I was a small child. When my sisters and I had children of our own, we continued our annual

apple picking outing with about 14 of us.

Every year we take a family photo

of my parents and all of the grandkids in a comically giant red Adirondack chair, the kind designed especially for novelty photos. I have fond memories of eating apples straight from the tree after shining them on my T shirt. I remember climbing the small trees when I, too, was small and then letting my kids climb when they were little. They'd pick the largest apples and hand them down to our waiting bushel sacks, one by one. Now only a few of the kids are still small enough to climb, but the crisp sweetness of an apple plucked right from the tree is something I'll never outgrow. And it's poetry. It links our individual experience directly to the environment. It connects the beauty in our perception to a universal narrative. Apples are front and center in some of our best known stories, parables of knowledge and truth. Fruit itself is a reminder of the land, trees, bush and vine that grew it, of how the earth works so hard to make life and to make life that is sweet. Today's poem takes as its inspiration the grapefruit, which is fleshy and juicy and as bitter as it is sweet. I was drawn to this poem because it is so packed with sensory detail, smells, sights and textures. The poem itself is delicious. Citrus Paradisi by Ara Ko In Chicago, the sunny kitchen smelled like grapefruit, wood, dust, wool coats. The windy, wide, paved streets felt empty even when they were full. The Oro Blanco grapefruit tasted richest in the coldest months separated into perfect jewel toned triangles. Did you know some people on depression medication can't eat grapefruit? Not even the La Croix flavor, not even ruby redshead sized grapefruits that glisten at Trader Joe's only 30 cents above my budget. Juicy smelling like morning, smelling like the January I almost killed myself but didn't. We split them in halves, sour and sometimes so so sweet Red blush grapefruit in blue china bowls. We ate them on the icy roof with toothy steel spoons. They say there are as many kinds of friendship as fruit or cars. Like your old truck, its rumble rumble over road salt crisp ice back from the grocery store, the compostable green baggie bursting open and out rolled grapefruit. So many huge fleshy pink grapefruits when they toppled to the ground they bounced. I ate one this morning, thumbs dug deeply in thick skin, glad to be alive and every time I eat one I think of you.

The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. To get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter and find us on Instagram at Slow Slow down Show and [e-mail] the Slowdown is written by me, Maggie Smith. The show is produced by Micah Kielbon and Maria Wurtel. Our music is composed by Kyle Andrews, engineering by Derek Ramirez and Maurizio Dirico. Our editor and digital producer is Jordan Turgen. Additional production help by Susanna Sharpless, Ruby Sigmund and Lauren Humpert. APM's Director of Distribution is Amy Lundgren and our president is Chandra Cavati.

[Call to Mind Narrator]

Anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder at least half of us will experience a mental illness in our lifetime. In a new series of special reports from Call to Mind, we hear about the mental health impact of stress, climate change, immigration and more. Tune in for conversations with people managing hardship and experts seeking solutions. Listen to Call to Mind from American Public Media.