--by GORDON C. WONG,
from "What Lies Beyond This
Door",*copyright 1987 by GORDON C.
WONGGood morning, dearest, the best to you
I had a wonderful sleep
The baby was noisy around midnight
(Glad it was your turn)
But after that I didn't hear a peep.
So what's for breakfast?
I read it's the most important meal of the day.
Oh, the meal of champions
That's the way
It'll tide me over
In the arena with the lions.
Kids, watch the etiquette and table manners
Ha, my arching little finger's aimed at you
Would you suppose supper laughs at us
Swimming around there in that stew?
Yes, kids, human lives are lost to slay the pigs
To put this bacon on your plate
They crawled through the jungles
They conquered tractors
Such is the story of mankind's fate.
But don't quote me on that--
It's a blessed life
A living menu of endless choices
In all things we can do.
But it's like Chinese food
One regrets to say.
What's worth digesting slips right through.
What's this in the breakfast paper
About another war in some far off friendly land?
Have we lost another million or so
To satisfy consumer demand?
These people rile my goat
It upsets my stomach
Have these "farmers" no sense of taste?
As long as we've got TV dinners
Can't they see all the rest is waste?
And what's this bit about the starving kids
Squeezed in here cramming up the truth about the newest nuke?
Woman, get the kids to school
While I try and digest more of this puke.
I see here the President says we're losing
Those Commies can pull ahead and threaten all this that we savour.
Someone has no grasp of mathematics
Dear, is this stuff that economy-sized, brand new breakfast flavor?
No, another one told me "no" yesterday
They're looking for someone older
It's okay, though
Pretty soon (the President promised) it'll trickle down.
Funny thing that with summer coming it seems it's getting colder.
Five more dead by cops in South Africa
But they say they foresee a breakthrough
Yeah, I'll check the food bank lines today
Aren't you glad, kids, those blacks aren't me and you?
The neighbours tell me, anyway
Those people don't know how good they got it
The governments around them don't know what to do
So they told the people, "Cherish your freedom"
And of course the damn fools simply bought it.
I guess the folks will visit this weekend
So make sure you pull out the special china
We should ask your dad for a couple more bucks
Though we already owe them so much
It makes me shy of it, kinda.
But you know what they told us
Never fear
It's what family's for, they both have often said
Yeah, honey, it says right here
"More race riots, police stepped in"
And now there's five more dead.
Well, kids, as I say, be off to school
And tell your old dad later what's to learn
You'll understand this one day, sure
When you've got your own living to earn.
Dear, I just don't know
You know that's true
I've said all this before
Yeah, I'm weary from the struggle
But there's always something we need more.
At least we've got each other
And the kids are fine
I guess we're blessed that way.
But you know, it seems like today's like all last week.
Oh, who cares?
Good breakfast, darling, no more hunger for today.
--by GORDON C. WONG,
from "What Lies Beyond This
Door",*
copyright 1987 by GORDON C.
WONG