L Milton Hankins Poet Quatrain

Sorry, Barbara Bush

Saltine crackers have become my worst enemy
Add that to my rapidly-growing list of “do-not-eats”
Along with many common foods I considered treats
Salt, sugar, and fats, in general, are my archenemy.

Sorry, Barbara Bush,* you did not heed good advice
And lived it up with salty carbs and unsaturated fat,
Because you let your doctor’s warnings fall flat
In your final days, you paid the ultimate price.

The symptoms are clear and very easy to discern
Swollen ankles, fatigue, and difficulty breathing
You suffer a general malaise which is not so pleasing
Taking Lasiks intravenously is something you learn.

I will miss, most of all, those tasty strips of bacon
Forever forbidden along with salty potato chips
No more adding salt to the food passing my lips
Adding restrictions to the handfuls of meds I’m takin’.

It is not so bad, after all, [I am training myself to think]
Following some simple directions about what I eat
I can still have vegetables and some delicious red meat
It is so much better than living life right up to the brink.

[*a nod to First Lady Barbara Bush, who died of
Congestive Heart Failure at the ripe old age of 92!]

Written June 1, 2021

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Lindsay Laurie June 2, 2021 at 9:46 PM Hello Milton … our taste buds have been trained to enjoy salt, sugar, and fats that are loaded up in most processed foods and drinks. An addiction hard to beat and avoid. Good luck to the lady reaching 92 - thank you Milton - Lindsay L Milton Hankins June 2, 2021 at 9:47 PM Yes, she was fortunate to live to be 92. Thanks for your thoughtful comments, Lindsay.

Kenneth Cheney June 2, 2021 at 7:48 AM If its true we are what we eat, I would beware of 'fruits and nuts.' L Milton Hankins June 2, 2021 at 8:26 AM Hey, Kenneth, both of which are very good for you! Thanks for your read and your comment.

Caren Krutsinger June 2, 2021 at 3:09 AM I cannot fathom no salt - I can do without bacon because my teeth are so bad, but I doubt I could ever give up saltines. Nicely penned Hank. Bravo! L Milton Hankins June 2, 2021 at 8:27 AM Thanks, Caren. Doing without bacon is the most difficult thing. However, bacon is the worst food on the planet...loaded with salt and fat! At least minimize it.

Gershon Wolf June 1, 2021 at 7:58 PM No wonder Barbara's hair turned white overnight. (But she was a 'cracker,' wasn't she?! And I mean a pistol, not the 'southern kind' of 'cracker.'). L Milton Hankins June 1, 2021 at 8:05 PM Indeed, G.W. She was everything a First Lady of the United States should be...strong, vibrant, resilient, gutsy and sophisticated, too. Thanks for your read and your comment.

Mystic Rose Rose June 1, 2021 at 7:48 PM She lived a full life, God bless her. What a wonderful tribute to an amazing lady . Thank you Milton. Have a good night,:) L Milton Hankins June 1, 2021 at 9:27 PM Yes, Indeed, but she probably would have made it to over a hundred with proper treatment and attention to her diet. L Milton Hankins June 1, 2021 at 8:06 PM Thanks for your visit and your thoughtful comment, Vie. Have a good night, too, and a wonderful week.