THE BERET: For Bea

You look the part 

of a jolly young French woman

dedicated to food that pleases

sausages that peanut oil

glorifies and with condiments

that vary the tastes

Holy onions, kraut, cheese 

and the standbys ketchup, mustard, relish

standing hours with 

your work pals

delivering by the millions

I wonder if you would

like to relax for awhile

and read the history

you have in your cellar

it would be nice, very nice

if you did not have to have

dinners like this to depend on

when universal health care

which our ill-fated government

denies and denies

Congress is cared for at Bethesda 

and the President has never 

lacked for treatment

particularly the five

bone-spurs

how curious he wants to

cutaway anybody from good health

and rest

but perhaps there are people

at your diner

who meet and marry and have children

who bring the cause of Peace. just think

what a world without war

could bring people from our Earth

who would come to your cookshop

be happy devouring your dogs

making you Chef-in-Chief

of our Royal City!

Kendall Merriam, Home, 10/27/17 11:15 PM

Listening to Phyllis clean up the kitchen after dinner I cooked