Supper Time

Oh the army looked after its own
It really must be said
Except the RSM didn’t really 
Tuck the squaddies up in bed.
Three square meals a day
You could eat your fill
They did try to keep you fit
Just in case you had to kill

And they opened up the cook house 
Every single night for toast and tea
I sometimes went if broke
After all everything was free.
They had the largest toaster in the world 
At least the largest one I had ever seen 
As I was young and not well travelled
It very well just may not have been,

Where you would cook your toast 
Accompanied by the pop pop pop
Of those kamikaze cockroaches
That tried to run across its top.
There were heaps and piles and scatters 
Scorched and charred by the score
No matter how many failed
There were always plenty more.

We’d sweep the toaster top
Brush them on the floor
But just seconds later
There’d be plenty more.
We’d find them in the soup
We’d find them in the custard
Like an invading force 
Permanently mustered.

Sometimes we probably ate them,
They probably added to the taste
When we rushing back on shift
And eating in a haste.
We feared the consequences more 
Of parading for work late
Than any minor adulteration to
The food that we all ate.

When man is gone
For what its worth
Maybe the cockroach will
Inherit this earth.
Oh the army looked after its own
It really must be said
Except the RSM didn’t really 
Tuck the squaddies up in bed
Copyright © | Year Posted 2022


Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 11/26/2022 6:34:00 AM
Oh no,, You lost me when you started describing roaches by the score, I felt they were climbing up my leg and could read no more !!!
Login to Reply
Ireland Avatar
Terry Ireland
Date: 11/26/2022 7:52:00 AM
We got so used to them you carefully hid them so as not to ruin anybody else's meal. I remember going fp0r seconds of a particularly delicious tomato soup, and three roaches floated up in the ladle. I skipped the seconds.
Date: 11/14/2022 12:58:00 PM
you've described this so well, terry, that my main reaction was ugh! still, i enjoyed your rhymes very much...
Login to Reply
Ireland Avatar
Terry Ireland
Date: 11/14/2022 2:17:00 PM
Thanks ilene - allowing for memory lapse but I swear as much as possible every word is true
Date: 11/14/2022 9:56:00 AM
"kamikaze cockroaches!" oh, I hate those things. They've been around and will likely survive all of us. Good write, Terry.
Login to Reply
Ireland Avatar
Terry Ireland
Date: 11/14/2022 2:15:00 PM
Thanks Jenna - yes they’re real survivors
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter