When I was young, my parents said
To clean my plate—from soups to bread,
I was a skinny chicken, then,
With every food that’s known to men.
As I grew older, diet changed,
From meat to chocolate, it ranged,
And, as a teen, it wasn’t odd
To lunch on Mars bars when abroad.
‘Twas then I started diet fads
To keep my weight from getting ‘bad’.
It started with my Nutri-shakes,
Nutrition, some. And flavour, fake.
From there, I moved to Watching Weight
With guides to track just what I ate,
It worked for years—I even taught
‘Bout only eating what I ought.
Now I’ve seen diets come and go,
‘Eat Only Meat!’ ‘Eat Only Roe!’
‘Away with dairy, eggs and cheese’,
OR ‘Breads are evil! Cause disease!’
I have tried Keto, I admit,
It was a satisfying hit,
And I’ve considered trying Noom,
(I learned about that one on Zoom!)
Will it, like others, come to naught?
(Though I lost the same 10 pounds a lot!)
Think I’ll return to being eight,
Eat everything. And clean my plate!
Cause Mondays do get knocked a lot,
With POETRY, we all besought
To try to make the week begin
With pleasant thoughts,
Perhaps a grin?
Have crafted poems for you to see.
And now you’ve read what we have wrought…
Did we help?
Or did we not?
Next week, from Mimi, join us here
For ‘Favourite Potables’. Teas to Beer!
If only we could tell our younger selves to enjoy those high calorie chocolatey treats enough to last a lifetime!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I think I figured out a way to join you next week!
And fries. I don't think I've eaten a single fry in 10 years!
DeleteAnd yay! I'm so excited to have you join us!
Oh to eat the way I did when eight! It seemed we had a built-in guidance for what to do. When did it all go astray?
ReplyDeleteSadly, for me, about 50 years ago. Sigh.
DeleteWhen did it all go astray? When we stopped running around like eight year olds I suspect.
DeleteYou have a point!
DeleteI grew up cleaning my plate too. And still do, though I am more selective about what I put on it. My partner is able to leave a mouthful or two if he has 'had enough'. I wish I was so sensible.
ReplyDeleteSee? Now WHY can't I do that?! Argh!
DeleteI remember (as a teen) eating an entire (large) candy bar as a snack. Now, I eat 1/2 ounce, carefully measured out. Not fair! I want that teen body again! (But not the mind, or the drama, or the lack of judgement, or...)
ReplyDeleteHahahaha! Too right, Alana!
DeleteI seem to have strange body changes that require a change in diet. First low blood sugar which made me cut out sweets etc and now a bladder change that makes me cut out tomatoes and other acids. How do I cope, I cheat!! Love the poems, Beth
ReplyDeleteSad when our bodies betray us, isn't it, Beth?
DeleteI agree, eat everything. But only half the amount.
ReplyDeletePerfect solution, River!
DeleteI hadn't considered prayer as a diet, but a good idea!
ReplyDeleteCarol C.
I’ve tried everything else . . .
DeleteI was as thin as a whippet until my early 30's, so I cranked up a BIG appetite during my earlier years. Sadly I can still clean my plate, so I've learned to keep downsizing on plate size - and it seems to be working! Great poem, Diane.
ReplyDeleteI am still having difficulty accessing Mimi's Comments facility, so I hope you won't mind my posting my poem here instead. I misread the theme (missed the word 'Crazes') and have written generally on dieting. My apologies. Here it is:
ReplyDeleteBuster’s on a diet
And he’s feeling very glum,
His biscuits have been rationed
And he has a rumbling tum.
“A diet means fewer biscuits, Buster
And that means only two” -
Sally takes away his biscuit box.
What can poor Buster do
But sit and wait and salivate
Until it’s time for dinner?
He’s run around the garden (twice)
And already he feels thinner.
Needing some distraction
To keep his mind off food
He sets off to finds Percy
Who he hopes will lift his mood.
But Percy’s busy chomping
On cat biscuits in the kitchen.
Buster feels quite sickened -
It’s not fair! And he’s just itching
To swipe that blasted bowl away
And send those biscuits flying.
In fact, if he could snatch a few ….
But he knows it’s no use trying.
‘Cos Percy gives a warning growl
That means ‘Don’t even try it!’
So Buster sits and feels the pain
Of being on a diet.
Poor Buster.
PS: If you are looking for ideas for themes, may I suggest the following?
Showtime! and A Domestic Incident
Bwahahahaha! This is positively brilliant, SBM! Poor Buster, indeed.
DeleteAnd yes! Those are wonderful suggestions! We’ll use them both!
Oh, to be the age, again, where i could clean my plate easily. Oh, well.
ReplyDeleteSpikesBestMate, that's a great one, too.
I feel the same way, Mimi! Sigh.
Delete