How many prawns die a natural death?

'How many prawns die a natural death?' he quipped;

Since when our meals have never been the same,

Not that we would ever want to blame

John for the question, but even as it tripped

So lightly off his tongue, it had become

The corner-stone of our lunchtime debate.

Any time we start to get irate

Or quarrel, there is bound to be someone

Who'll question the iconic prawns, to ease

The torrents of Foucault or Thomas Paine

And bring us gently down to earth again

Before we turn to pudding or the cheese,

   How strange to think that in the death of prawns

   Our quirky family unity was born.

(with thanks to John Hubbard)

Brian Hick 25.11.08

©copyright S Hick November 2021