In Praise of the Silver Darlings

SHELVES OF HERRING

by Frederick Schroer of Portland Oregon

It was a fine and a pleasant day,
In a Safeway store I was faring,
And I walked for miles up and down the aisles,
As I hunted for the shelves of herring.

O the carts were few and the lines were long,
And the people, sure they took some bearing.
There was little kindness and the kids were many,
As I hunted for the shelves of herring.

O I took my catch to a ten-item line,
And at me the clerk she sure was swearing;
For I'd a hundred cans of the silver darlings
That I'd taken from the shelves of herring!

Now for six long months I've been eating fish,
And my house it sure could use an airing!
And now I know, never again I'll go
To hunt for the shelves of herring!