Ode

Crunchy, tender broccoli
with a hairy brain
naked, except for the hairy part
from one, come many

You remain
green for about a week
then you sometimes turn yellow
in the hair area

and after the yellow,
you wrinkle at the stem
and your leaves turn to black
and your hair turns to soup

though you still throb with A
C, B, and Z-
inc, I will not eat you
if you remind me of soup

but sometimes soup reminds me of you

and all hail
the king of vegetables
the queen of earthly delights
the vacuum of heavy minerals
the only with eggs breakfast food

do yourself a favor
don't fight
surrender to me
dissolve into my blood
bond to my cells
share my Dee eN ey

and keep my brain
from becoming pale

that way you will be rewarded
with sons and daughters for all time

long after the demise of collard greens