spork and other nonsense

I know, Gladys--it hasn't been a week since my last post, but doggone it! I MUST speak out! This was going to be a paean (look it up) to The Spork, but kinda meandered into Edward Lear. Who I'm sure would've loved knowing that his "runcible spoon" has been linked to The Spork in some circles. Paul and I were eating at Taco Bell yesterday and I was pondering the plastic spork I always get when I take my tray to the table--you never know when your tortilla's integrity is going to become compromised and you end up with cheesey double beef all over your wrapper... So I was remembering a cute little poem I wrote a few years ago when we were still doing the Secret Sister group at church. I wrote that poem for my Sister on National Spork Day. I couldn't remember when that day was and hoped I had marked it on my poem. When I went to my files, though, there was no date. So I started looking online. I don't know where I got the original date for my poem, but I couldn't find a date that the majority agreed should be Spork Day. In my wanderings, I came across a "definition" for spork that linked it to the "runcible spoon" mentioned in Edward Lear's poem, "The Owl and The Pussycat". Now, I am VERY familiar with that poem, and over the years have collected different children's books with that poem. And long, long ago, I THOUGHT I had learned the definition of "runcible" and didn't think it had ANYthing to do with anything spork-like! So I wandered further afield and discovered that Lear INVENTED the term "runcible" and applied it to many things and wasn't even always a noun! So now I have no specific date for Spork Day AND I learned that "runcible" doesn't mean a damn thing! I tell you, Gladys, it does give one pause. Or, in the case of a pussycat, paws.
I have to admit that I did have fun looking all this stuff up. I know that somewhere in my papers I have the original list from Secret Sister days where I tried to find something to celebrate everyday, and I'll find out when *I* want to celebrate The Spork. For now, though, "submitted for your approval" (read enough Edward Lear and you sorta feel like you're IN the Twilight Zone!) here is the aforementioned and (dare I say?) highly anticipated...

Ode To Spork

Hail, O hail, the wondrous Spork
Without it, you'd need spoon and fork
Spork alone will fill your need
When time has come for you to feed

Good for soup or custard pie
For young or old, for gal or guy
I love my Spork! And you will, too
Just try it next time you have stew