Swill

Swill

     When I washed dishes

     at Dutch Pantry, George

and Minnie Pearl taught me

to broil steaks, prep salad mix,

fry apple fritters, French fries,

and shrimp, clean the deep fat

fryer, eat jalapenos from the jar,

mop the dining rooms, scrub

     toilets and sinks, wash pots,

brick the griddle, arrange the hot

     table, sort silverware, wipe

walk-in down, and empty trash.

Mr. Bodo had me reserve guests'

leftovers for the sheriff's hogs.

[sonnet]