March Slice of Life No. 18

I am participating in Laura Shovan’s “Annual February Daily Poem Project” which we are doing in March this year. We are writing in response to food prompts. Today’s prompt was posted by Diane Mayr.

Day 18 — March 18: Canned soup. Alternative: any canned food, or the act of canning or preserving food.

I read the ad with great interest, especially the paragraph under the title “Cans fight for Victory” in the lower left corner. I’ll share it since it’s not too easy to read in the photo.

Cans Fight for Victory

That’s why many favorite products in cans are missing from your dealer’s shelves. They’ll be back–after Victory. New improved cans, developed by research and tested by battle, will serve America. Meanwhile, please use wisely, without waste, all items you get in cans. Turn empty cans in for salvage!

-Excerpt from 1944 Ad by Can Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. New Your.

I then thumbed the e-pages of some of my century old cookbooks, searching for a spark. None came although I read some very interesting recipes.

I pondered the idea of soup from a can which I never purchase, never eat. My pondering brought to mind “Green Eggs and Ham” — a well-worn book in my library that I’ve read too many times to count to my grandkids.

So, with a GIGIANTIC nod to “Green Eggs and Ham” and Dr. Seuss, I give you “Campbell” and “Steamy Canned Soup.”

STEAMY CANNED SOUP

I AM CAMPBELL. I AM CAMPBELL. CAMPBELL I AM.

THAT CAMPBELL-I-AM! THAT CAMPBELL-I-AM!
I DO NOT LIKE THAT CAMPBELL-I-AM!

WOULD YOU LIKE STEAMY CANNED SOUP?

I DO NOT LIKE SOUP, CAMPBELL-I-AM.
I DO NOT LIKE STEAMY CANNED SOUP.

WOULD YOU LIKE SOUP HERE OR THERE?

I WOULD NOT LIKE SOUP HERE OR THERE.
I WOULD NOT LIKE SOUP ANYWHERE.
I DO NOT LIKE STEAMY CANNED SOUP.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP, CAMPBELL-I-AM.

WOULD YOU LIKE SOUP IN A HOUSE?
WOULD YOU LIKE SOUP WITH A MOUSE?

I DO NOT LIKE SOUP IN A HOUSE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP WITH A MOUSE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP HERE OR THERE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP ANYWHERE.
I DO NOT LIKE STEAMY CANNED SOUP.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP, CAMPBELL-I-AM.

WOULD YOU EAT SOUP IN A BOX?
WOULD YOU EAT SOUP WITH A FOX?

NOT IN A BOX. NOT WITH A FOX.
NOT IN A HOUSE. NOT WITH A MOUSE.
I WOULD NOT EAT SOUP HERE OR THERE.
I WOULD NOT EAT SOUP ANYWHERE.
I WOULD NOT EAT STEAMY CANNED SOUP.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP, CAMPBELL-I-AM.

WOULD YOU? COULD YOU? IN A CAR?
EAT SOUP! EAT SOUP! HERE SOME IS.

I WOULD NOT, COULD NOT, IN A CAR.

YOU MAY LIKE SOUP. YOU WILL SEE.
YOU MAY LIKE SOUP IN A TREE!

I WOULD NOT, COULD NOT IN A TREE.
NOT IN A CAR! YOU LET ME BE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP IN A BOX.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP WITH A FOX.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP IN A HOUSE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP WITH A MOUSE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP HERE OR THERE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP ANYWHERE.
I DO NOT LIKE STEAMY CANNED SOUP.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP, CAMPBELL-I-AM.

A TRAIN! A TRAIN! A TRAIN! A TRAIN!
COULD YOU, WOULD YOU ON A TRAIN?

NOT ON TRAIN! NOT IN A TREE!
NOT IN A CAR! CAMPBELL! LET ME BE!
I WOULD NOT, COULD NOT, IN A BOX.
I WOULD NOT, COULD NOT, WITH A FOX.
I WILL NOT EAT SOUP IN A HOUSE.
I WILL NOT EAT SOUP HERE OR THERE.
I WILL NOT EAT SOUP ANYWHERE.
I DO NOT EAT STEAMY CANNED SOUP.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP, CAMPBELL-I-AM.

SAY! IN THE DARK? HERE IN THE DARK!
WOULD YOU, COULD YOU, IN THE DARK?

I WOULD NOT, COULD NOT, IN THE DARK.

WOULD YOU COULD YOU IN THE RAIN?

I WOULD NOT, COULD NOT IN THE RAIN.
NOT IN THE DARK. NOT ON A TRAIN.
NOT IN A CAR. NOT IN A TREE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP, CAMPBELL, YOU SEE.
NOT IN A HOUSE. NOT IN A BOX.
NOT WITH A MOUSE. NOT WITH A FOX.
I WILL NOT EAT SOUP HERE OR THERE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP ANYWHERE!

YOU DO NOT LIKE STEAMY CANNED SOUP?

I DO NOT LIKE SOUP, CAMPBELL-I-AM.

COULD YOU, WOULD YOU, WITH A GOAT?

I WOULD NOT, COULD NOT WITH A GOAT!

WOULD YOU, COULD YOU, ON A BOAT?

I COULD NOT, WOULD NOT, ON A BOAT.
I WILL NOT, WILL NOT, WITH A GOAT.
I WILL NOT EAT SOUP IN THE RAIN.
NOT IN THE DARK! NOT IN A TREE!
NOT IN A CAR! YOU LET ME BE!
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP IN A BOX.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP WITH A FOX.
I WILL NOT EAT SOUP IN A HOUSE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP WITH A MOUSE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP HERE OR THERE.
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP ANYWHERE!
I DO NOT LIKE STEAMY CANNED SOUP!
I DO NOT LIKE SOUP, CAMPBELL-I-AM.

YOU DO NOT LIKE SOUP. SO YOU SAY.
TRY IT! TRY IT! AND YOU MAY.
TRY IT AND YOU MAY, I SAY.

CAMPBELL! IF YOU LET ME BE,
I WILL TRY SOUP. YOU WILL SEE.

(… slurp, slurp, slurp …)

SAY! I LIKE STEAMY CANNED SOUP!
I DO! I LIKE IT, CAMPBELL-I-AM!
AND I WOULD EAT SOUP IN A BOAT.
AND I WOULD EAT SOUP WITH A GOAT…
AND I WILL EAT SOUP IN THE RAIN.
AND IN THE DARK. AND ON A TRAIN.
AND IN A CAR. AND IN A TREE.
SOUP IS SO GOOD, SO GOOD, YOU SEE!
SO I WILL EAT SOUP IN A BOX.
AND I WILL EAT SOUP WITH A FOX.
AND I WILL EAT SOUP IN A HOUSE.
AND I WILL EAT SOUP WITH A MOUSE.
AND I WILL EAT SOUP HERE AND THERE.
SAY! I WILL EAT SOUP ANYWHERE!
I DO SO LIKE STEAMY CANNED SOUP!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU, CAMPBELL-I-AM.

SAY! I LIKE STEAMY CANNED SOUP!
I DO! I LIKE IT, CAMPBELL-I-AM!
AND I WOULD EAT SOUP IN A BOAT.
AND I WOULD EAT SOUP WITH A GOAT…
AND I WILL EAT SOUP IN THE RAIN.
AND IN THE DARK. AND ON A TRAIN.
AND IN A CAR. AND IN A TREE.
SOUP IS SO GOOD, SO GOOD, YOU SEE!
SO I WILL EAT SOUP IN A BOX.
AND I WILL EAT SOUP WITH A FOX.
AND I WILL EAT SOUP IN A HOUSE.
AND I WILL EAT SOUP WITH A MOUSE.
AND I WILL EAT SOUP HERE AND THERE.
SAY! I WILL EAT SOUP ANYWHERE!
I DO SO LIKE STEAMY CANNED SOUP!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU, CAMPBELL-I-AM.

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Here are two “Green Eggs and Ham” imitations that I’ve written —
“Change the Clock”
“No Snow for Me“

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