poem of the week

YOU’LL DRINK YOUR ORANGE JUICE AND LIKE IT, COMRADE

Soviet Union agrees to absorb quantities of citrus fruits to relieve Cyprus surplus. – Newspaper item

There’s a Cyprus citrus surplus,

Citrus surplus Cypriotic.

No Sicilian citrus surplus

But a Cyprus citrus surplus,

Not a Cyprus citron surplus

But a Cyprus citrus surplus,

Not a Cyprus citrus circus

But a Cyprus citrus surplus.

It’s a special citrus surplus,

Cyprus citrus super surplus.

“Just a surface citrus surfeit,”

Says a cryptic Coptic skeptic.

But the bishop in his surplice

Certifies the surfeit citrus –

In his surplus Sunday surplice,

Certifies the citrus surfeit,

Who’ll assimilate the surplus,

Siphon off the Cyprus citrus?

Sipping at the citrus cistern

Who’ll suppress the Cyprus surplus?

Says the Soviet to Cyprus,

“Send us all your surplus citrus;

This is just a simple sample

Of Socialist assistance.

Should you show a similar surplus

In the simmering summer solstice,

Send a summons to the Soviet

For surplus citrus solace.”

Now on Cyprus they’re all reading

Victory, by Joseph Comrade.

-         Ogden Nash