It is hard not to rate yourself,

compare your existence

to that of the smashed avocado

when wondering how you fit in

a world that gave you a voice,

you see that green filling

spread all over a piece of toast

and you wonder first

whatever happened to the black pudding,

when did the mug of builders’ tea

and the steam covering the waitress’s face

give way to a coffee that costs more

than you ever paid for your first piece of vinyl,

when did it become O.K. to have your name

called out in public and run the risk

of having every person present pretend to care

what you are having that day, an Instagram

of your latest beverage receiving

more insane popularity

than a good idea to save the world, some hope

for the future this, when an avocado

gets the credit for all of society’s good will,

true equality in the breakfast stakes

will arrive when the unappetising

is blamed for causing

damage to the tea trade.

 

Ian D. Hall 2018