Somewhere far away
In the USA
There is a contest
To see who can eat
More than the others!
Yes, so I have heard -
I think it's absurd!
They like food that's free
They're like you - and me!
Did they have mothers
Who told them to eat
Each piece on the plate?
I had no sisters
I had no brothers
And yet I compete
With every other
Each time that I eat
I loiter and take -
One more piece of cake
I take the last crisp
I don't want to miss
New kinds of biscuit -
See it and take it
I lick both my lips
I don't do cooking
When no-one's looking
I lick the whole plate
And recall what I ate
No crumbs on the floor
I eat one crumb more!
...
But why don't I try
A new way to live?
Instead of taking
It's better to give!
Some guests are quiet
Stick to their diet
Why don't I compete
With those who don't eat?
With those who won't eat!
Over our dinner
Who is the winner!
I know the problem
I know the answer
Just tell her or him
'You look great - so slim!'
Maybe they won't ask
If I wear a mask
I spent my childhood
'Please finish your plate'
Can I change that thought?
It isn't too late
Where should I begin
I have a vision
A new direction
I'll aim to be thin
I must be stronger
I know what to do
So I live longer
I must look away
I just look away
I just walk away
There's no more to say
If I scrape the plate
Then what is my fate?
The scales do not lie
And no mirror lies
Shock, but no surprise
When our fat friend dies
And his son died, too
So what must we do?
Say, 'I've eaten enough'
It's rough, but I'm tough
So what can I eat?
All kinds of meat
Ending with chocolate
It feels like a feast
Just stick to one piece
I'll eat that later
I'll drink more water
When we are meeting
Instead of eating
Out at a buffet
At home I shall stay
I'll eat less than most
Won't please a keen host
We'll all talk on Zoom
In a food-free room
'cos everyone knows
How to fit in your clothes
Because I confess
At first I say yes
But seconds is no.
I'm saying goodbye
To the weight I hate
It's never too late
To control your weight.
-ends-
Copyright Angela Lansbury. You may copy a couplet but please include a link back to the original, longer poem.
Please share links to your favourite blogs and favourite posts.
You can see my books on Lulu.com and amazon.com and look inside for free or buy one or two and if you meet me ask me to sign a copy for you or to send you a rhyming couplet with your name.
