Mushrooms – Blank Verse for dVerse

Over at dVerse, Tony Maude is having us write blank verse.  Blank verse has rhythmic structure, but is unrhymed.  Most of Shakespeare’s plays were written in blank-verse iambic pentameter.

I have also chosen to write in iambic pentameter, and I present to you the culinary history of the mushroom.  I based my poem on a short piece of prose that I wrote a few years ago (you can find the original here).

The following is entirely true…unless it’s not.

~~

It ’twas in ancient times that Zog returned
back to his home when hunting trip was done
a saber-toothed chihuahua was his prize
but fate would give him more to eat that day

For Zigga was his mate from years gone by
and gath’ring herbs and veggies was her chore
she found a plant of colours bright to see
and brought it for her man to take a bite

It turns out that she was the very first
to think this item might be good to eat
for mushrooms up to now had been ignored
but thanks to Zigga that would all now change

Now Zog was filled with curiosity
to try this little treat brought by his mate
and so with thinking not another thought
he popped it in his mouth and promptly died

Now sorrow may have filled up Zigga’s heart
but yet her mushroom hunting days weren’t o’er
for when she saw a different coloured one
she picked it, gave it to a man named Og

Now while this Og was brother to late Zog
his caveman brain was not too very bright
he took a nibble of this little shroom
and saw great visions for the next fortnight

When the hallucinations finally ceased
he couldn’t wait to try that trip again
alas he was the very first to learn
the fatal nature of an overdose

Of course she figured mushrooms equal death
and yet she wasn’t totally convinced
so mushrooms she fed to her friends and foes
the world’s first serious serial murderess!

The legal system had not yet been formed
and so this lady kept her killing spree
Now by and by she learned what most chefs claim:
that certain types of mushroom are quite safe

The moral of my tale I hope is clear:
the mushroom is a thing most foul indeed
for murder, drugs, and most of the world’s ills
can all upon this single plant be blamed.