Broccoli

by Suzanne Palmer

Broccoli for dinner, can it be?
It looks just like a tiny tree!
Eat some first, save some for last
It'll make you strong, it'll make you fast

Before you put it on your dish
First of all, you might just wish
To check for birds, check for nests
Check for squirrels, and check for pests

Before you put it on your fork
Make sure there's no perching stork
Look for apples, look for pears
Look for apes, and look for bears

Before you put it in your mouth
Check it over north and south
Make sure there's no teeny mouses,
No little swings and no treehouses

Before you've made your whole plate clean
Consider now what it would mean
If broccoli truly was a tree
Think how giant you would be!