The Old German Problem
THE OLD GERMAN PROBLEM
The burghers of Hamburg are themselves usually Hamburgers, so there!
The burghers of Frankfurt are themselves usually Frankfurters, it‘s only fair!
But it’s possible to meet Frankfurter Hamburger burghers
And you can also find Hamburger Frankfurter burghers
Hamburger burghers can eat hamburgers, a delicious dish
And Frankfurter burghers can eat frankfurters, if they wish
But hamburgers can be made in Frankfurt: they are not horrible
And frankfurters can be made in Hamburg : it is easily possible
So Frankfurter burghers can eat Hamburger frankfurters, with salt
And Hamburger burghers can eat Frankfurter hamburgers, without halt
No doubt Frankfurter burghers can also eat Frankfurter frankfurters, ‘sright
And Hamburger burghers can also eat Hamburger hamburgers all night
But what puzzles me, and maybe you too, God knows,
Is what to make of these German guys who like to eat as follows:
Frankfurter Hamburger burghers eating Hamburger frankfurters
Or Hamburger Frankfurter burghers eating Frankfurter hamburgers
Too complicated? Ok, try a piece o’ Pisa Pizza.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NOTES
Hamburger : adjective derived from Hamburg, or a meat dish named after the city
Frankfurter : adjective derived from Frankfurt, or a meat dish named after the city
Burgher : old-fashioned name for a city citizen
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
*Entered in no contest, because no one has organized
a silly GERMAN FOOD contest yet.
** I am aware that some geographical zealots object to my poems on gastronomical grounds, and some gastronomical zealots object to them on geographical grounds. My apologies to all.
Copyright © Sidney Beck | Year Posted 2011
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