Short Order

A baker’s dozen dozen

Before ten o’clock,

Over easy, over hard,

Scrambled, poached,

Sunnyside, omelets,

Ten in the dock,

Four in pans—life

Has no time to intrude

On high-volume

Breakfast at Joe’s;

Three meals at once,

Paint the pan with butter,

Crack ‘em, flip ‘em,

Slide ‘em on the plate

With homefries dusted

By paprika and toast

Popping up, going down,
Four at a time.

On the mat

Two land yoke up,

Slide between the slats,

The boss leans over: pay

Attention, he says,

Try to be the best cook

Breakfast ever saw.