written & illustrated by William Greenlaw

A Beginner’s Guide to Fruits and Vegetables

Alice the Apple

Alice the AppleA Beginner’s Guide to Fruits and Vegetables

Copyright ©1998 William GreenlawPrinted in the United States of America

All rights reservedwww.williamgreenlaw.com

Special thanks to Martin Krumpholz

For Alice,my grandmother

Alice the Apple fell on the ground,and due to the fall

is not perfectly round.

Artichoke Ann has thick, stumpy leaves.

You may eat them with butter or whatever you please.

Barny Bananaall snug in his peel.If you zip him open

he makes a nice meal.

Hey bro, how's it going?

Side by sideand covered in sauce,

the Baked Bean brotherstumble and toss.

Broccoli Bob has a strange sort of habit.

He uproots from the groundand chases the rabbit.

Orange and slimand good for your eyes,

Clara the Carrothas a crunchy surprise.

Celina is the Celery Stick, crispy and green.A favorite in meals

or as a snack in between.

Please,come back!

While Conrad Cornwas resting one day,a kernel popped off

and rolled away.

Carl the Cucumberis bumpy and green.

And though he’s quite nice,he looks sort of mean.

Carl

Carl's brother Clarence

Tell me why!

Elvin the Eggplantponders why he has been

named after an eggbut not layed by a hen.

Varied in colorand hard as a rock,Fran is the FrozenVegetable Block.

Gary the Grapegrew up on a vine,dreading the day

he’d be stomped into wine.

Clint the Kiwi is fuzzy and rough,

but a tangy green fruithides under his scruff.

Larry

A full head of rootsgrows from his crown,

Larry the Leeklives life upside down.

Lana Lettuce is always quite tense,

what with Ricky the Rabbitjust over the fence.

Mr. LemonMrs. Lime

play togetherall the time.

Martin the Mushroom,delightful and gay,

sits very still and smiles all day.

I make myself cry!

Oliver Onionmay make you cry

if you’re slicing him upright next to your eye.

Otis the Orangegrew up in the south,

and as strange as can behas a tooth in his mouth.

Paulina the Pearcomes in all shades of autumn.

But what doesn’t changeis she’s big on the bottom.

Perry the Peahas four tiny brothers.

All live in a podwith room for no others.

Perry

Pomegranate Annette

Hiding in cracks, crevices and folds,

you’ll eat with delightthe seeds that she holds.

Large and lumpy and covered in mud,

Pauly Potato is a fine lookin’ spud.

Rudy lives underground

Rudy the Radishis tiny and cute.

He’s tasty in saladeven though he’s a root.

Strawberry Sallyis plump, red and sweet,

and she’s covered in seedsfrom her head to her feet.

I'm just big- boned.

Tubby Tomatoa fat one indeed.Full of good cheer

and small orange seed.

Timmy the Turniplives in the ground.

He’s purple and whiteand big all around.

Watermelon Wayneis lots of summer fun.His juice is real sticky

and he weighs about a ton!

The End.

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