10/23/97

Have you ever tasted pork an’ beans

‘Ones melted in your mouth?

Or loved them hocks and turnip greens

The kind they fix down south?

Did you ever hear a paper plate at breakfast

Hit the table?

Or drooled at a snapshot of steamin’ bread

Like the one in the Li’l Red Hen fable?

Would you ever have given your last dollar bill

For a slice of punkin’ pie?

Or ‘ve you had your backbone an’ belly button rubbin’

So empty you coulda cried?

And when some morsel hit your mouth

With flavors full and pleasin’

That taste you couldn’t quite get your tongue on

Is good ol’ fashioned "Camp Seasonin’".
 
 

Was there ever a day you woke up growlin’

With nary a crust in sight?

When hours before you’d hit the hay dreamin’

‘Bout breakin’ your fast of the night?

And did you ever think that a cold drink of water

Was fillin’ and slacked your need

For a warm cup of somethin’ with a muffin side,

One topped with a toasted whole seed?

Or did you check the cupboard and fridge for a treat

That would help jump-start the day?

‘Found the bread molded, flakes full of weevils,

The milk turned to curds and whey?

Then that spoonful of P butter and jelly you downed

Was mouth waterin’ and oh so pleasin’-

That taste you couldn’t quite get your tongue on

Was that good ol’ fashioned "Camp Seasonin’".
 
 

Did you ever swear you’d eat a polecat’,

From the tail right up to its snout?

Or have your mouth water o’er roadkill prospects

Or little critters hoppin’ about?

Did you make stone soup and boil it down

‘Til the stock had color and taste?

Throw together some noodles and canned veg’tables

And cover it with ‘mato paste?

Then served it up hot to your folks just in time

To have them each one exclaim,

"What a wonderful treat, this meal’s so unique,

‘Didn’t know cookin’ was part of your game!"

"How’d you make this? What’s in it? You’re a chef

In plain clothes- the flavor’s just so pleasin’!"

You know that taste they can’t get their tongues on

Is that good ol’ fashioned "Camp Seasonin’".

All around town, where’er food’s served,

Folks gather to fill up or dine.

So many places, so much to choose from,

There’s no tellin’ the grub you can find.

Where grub tastes best, where you’d go back for more,

No matter the cost of the fare,

The cooks perk your smell, your eyes and your taste,

And serve up the grub with a flare.

But other folks can’t afford all that’s fancy

They take the meals they can get.

And to them pork and beans and a crust of ol’ bread

Is sometimes the best meal they’ve et.

For each meal they’re eatin’, they give many thanks

Because to them it’s so pleasin’.

You know that taste they’re gettin’ their tongues on

Is that good ol’ fashioned "Camp Seasonin’".