Breakfast included seedless jam spread lightly on a muffin

Something I don't often do, because at times - I toughen

And abstain from the sweetness of jam, it does me no good

For it supplies calories I really don't need, nor ever should



But I'm a real sucker for a little sweet spread now and again

And today seems a good day for it as it pelts down with rain

Along with snow intermittently as both come in alternate spurts

And the sweet taste of the jam eases the cold which so hurts



The bones and muscles I've broken and pulled all over my body 

Some of which make my eyes tear so much I yearn for a hot toddy

But I have sworn off those things through the years after considering

The turns my life took whenever I binged on those kinds of things



And now my main weakness is the sweetness of a jam or jelly

Which warms me so with its good flow as it seeps into my belly

But this new one I bought has filled me completely with surprise

For I read the print on the label which states that which is a lie



It clearly reads Seedless Raspberry Jam boldly on the front of it

And after finishing the muffin I went to brush my teeth and had a fit

For as I swished around the rinse inside of my sweetened mouth

Something dawned clearly upon me which almost made me pout



I spat out the rinse water and watched as the fluid ran into drain

For there on the sink enamel was something as clear as the rain

The bold reddish-brown color attested to the clear lie upon the jar

For there in the sink was several raspberry seeds, standing out by far.



Christopher W. Thomas

10:05am Tuesday 12/30/97