Pictured On The Menu Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

What has been rushed,
To chew on and swallow.
Many know now,
Is too late to cough back up.
Or request a return of the cost paid,
That has caused the masses nausea.

What has been pictured on the menu.
Expensively produced.
And advertised to display.
With it guaranteed to be selected.
Deceivingly with one purpose.
The fine print at the bottom,
Many will not see to ignore anyway.

This fine print states:
'If you choose what appears delicious,
You do this at your own risk.'

And beneath that to barely see,
Even if under microscope.
To do. Get up. Walk away through an exit.
Without touching a thing before one leaves.
A warning that reads:

'This is a warning.
And if you are among the fortunate,
To carry a microscope.
Not one to be tricked, duped to dope.
If...
This is your choice to select and pick.
The doing of it you will regret.
For the rest of your life.
Don't be sold,
On what is pictured...
In bold print.
Manufactured by the one,
Who dresses to impress.
And attempts to convince,
What you will be served...
Will be something you will never forget.'

What has been rushed,
To chew on and to swallow.
Has been discovered by many too late,
There will be only one return they can expect.
Nausea and much regret.
For accepting something glittering,
Bold and 'showy' to impress.
Although...
Easy on the eyes and quick to feed upon.
Maybe wished when reminiscing,
How long it took to eliminate...
The lingering aftertaste of it!
To learn it best to scrutinize.
Before one allows,
Delusions to depict and them to fantasize.

"But...
We had been told,
There was no better chef...
Anywhere on Earth to be found."

-Oh?
And who told you that? -

"The chef.
Dressed to impress.
And coming down an escalator.
Accompanied by a cheering crowd."

-And...
Had you known him to be a chef before? -

"No.
What difference would that have made? "