I’d Rather Write Than Eat

I’d Rather Write Than Eat is an unforgettable invitation into the bright, imaginative world of Doreen Lindahl, a two-time Minnesota Senior Poet Laureate whose words have been gathering wonder from everyday life for more than half a century. 

From dandelions that become galaxies to dogs with big appetites, from childhood snowstorms to the enduring bonds of family, Doreen finds poetry in the moments many people overlook. Her voice is warm, witty, sincere, and delightfully original. She writes of love, laughter, faith, loss, nature, memory, and growing older with a spirit that remains, as she puts it, “filled with Spring.” 

This rich personal collection brings together poems and reflections written from 1945 onward, including many pieces never previously shared beyond Doreen’s family. Readers will encounter playful animal poems, tender messages to children and friends, meditations on gratitude and resilience, and luminous observations about the natural world. In one poem, dandelions become “our own special kind of star”; in another, a simple breath is valued “more than gold.” Throughout, her rhyming verse and conversational storytelling make each page feel like time spent with a wise, humorous friend. 

The book portrays a remarkable life. Doreen began composing poems before she could write them down, later served for 26 years as family editor of the Hibbing Daily Tribune, and earned the Minnesota Senior Poet Laureate title in both 2009 and 2011. Yet her greatest subject is not accomplishment for its own sake. It is the richness of ordinary life: a flower garden held in memory, a beloved pet, a mother’s love, a family joke, a rainbow after sorrow, and the courage to keep noticing what is beautiful. 

Enhanced by color illustrations, personal notes, an author profile, and loving letters from her daughters, I’d Rather Write Than Eat offers more than a poetry collection. It is a keepsake of one woman’s enduring curiosity, creativity, and affection for the world around her. 

Open these pages for a smile, a memory, a laugh, or a moment of reflection. You may come away seeing your own life with fresher eyes and carrying more wonder in your heart.