A BOWL OF SOUP

What is as fine as a bowl of soup
In a tureen, carried hot to the table,
Or a beef stew simmered with veggies and meat,
As wondrous as an old Aesop fable;
I love noodle soup or a tomato bisque,
My chili falls into this category,
French onion soup with melted cheese,
Ukrainian Borsch served in its beet-red glory.
Mushroom soup! PepperPot!
Or a Consomme!
Won Ton Soup! Morel Soup!
Cream of Pea and crackers on a tray!
Black Bean Soup! Cabbage Soup!
Or a pot of New England Chowder!
(Not for me Manhattan style–
for that I’d take a powder!)
Perhaps some Mulligatawny Soup,
Or some Minestrone!
I’d even eat some Bouillabaisse,
As long as it’s not boney!
Bring me a bowl of Orleans gumbo,
Or any soup that’s bold,
Or let us have gazpacho that’s
Always served up cold.
Serve me cream of celery soup!
Carrot soup with Curry!
Bring me soups that cook all day
But dish up in a hurry;
Serve me spicy peanut soup
Or turkey soup with rice–
I’d gladly eat green lentil soup
But meatball soup is also nice.
Soup for breakfast! Soup for lunch!
Soup for a late night supper;
Let me have a cup of soup,
For a pick-me-upper.
Let me have War Won-Ton Soup,
Or Tortilla soup that’s spicy,
Let me have a cockle soup
Or lobster bisque that’s pricey!
Serve me cock-a-leekie soup
Or Egg Drop soup from China,
Serve it fancy, serve it plain,
I’m never going to mind-a,
Soups can be hearty or else light -
Feed one or feed a troop -
I’ll never tire or get enough
Of delicious homemade soup.

–Sandra Lee Smith
May 6, 2009