The Optimistic Cucumber Poem by Paul Hartal

Once upon a time
There lived a cheerful cucumber
In a lovely vegetable garden.
Optimistic and happy in its green dress,
The cucumber was born toothless;
Yet it made a firm decision to resist
The learned advice to visit a dentist.

In the garden the days quickly trickled
And on an early summer morning
The cucumber timidly asked
Its gentle neighbor and kin,
A yellow and plump pumpkin:
"Excuse me, but don't you think,
That you are a little fat? "

"Oh, I don't mind to be like that
After all I am not an adipose cat.
And besides, as a humble pumpkin
I would be embarrassed truly
Not to be as I am, corpulently brave
And unflinchingly yours, roly-poly."

Then suddenly a jolly July breeze
Blew through the morning garden
And the gardener stepped in warbling.
He praised his good luck
And surveyed several vegetables
Ripened with sun shine to pluck.

And thus before the clock
Struck a forenoon ten, unbiased,
The wholesome cucumber ended up
In a glorious Greek salad for breakfast.

Still, just before being eaten like that,
It turned to the pumpkin and said:
"Remember this beautiful garden
With its comely butterflies unfurled
And never-ever lose your faith
In the goodness of the world."