A Celebration of Mushrooms

On Facebook, I’m part of a group that runs brackets for fun. Right now the bracket is to determine the Ultimate Pizza Topping—16 toppings narrowed down to 8, etc. The final winner goes up against Pepperoni to determine the ultimate champion.

As for me, I have been cheering—nay, actively campaigning—for mushrooms to win it all. And there’s a good chance they might! Mushrooms took down feta cheese in round 1 and onions in round 2. In round 3 they were up against bacon, which looked like a sure-fire winner, but several of us stepped up and advocated for the nutrient-rich, vegetarian-friendly mushroom, and it prevailed. All-out war broke out in the semi-finals, when it was up against sausage; mushrooms won by 3 votes.

Mushrooms are up against pepperoni now. The vote ends tomorrow. And since a Sonnet Sunday fell in between, well, uh, today’s poem is both ridiculous and inevitable. Enjoy, just like you all should enjoy mushrooms on your pizzas!

A Celebration of Mushrooms

Originally written July 11, 2020

A mushroom is a wondrous little thing.
It flourishes when all else is decay.
It can be used as added flavoring
On burgers, fries, soups, salads—any way
You want to eat them, they are there for you,
Packed full of flavor, and nutrient-dense.
A perfect side-dish for a barbecue;
As pizza toppings, it’s just common sense
To choose the mushroom. It can be enjoyed
By omnivores and herbivores alike;
And if you don’t, they’re easy to avoid:
Just scrape them quickly off, if you dislike
Their flavor—but I hope that there is room
In your heart—and your pizza—for mushrooms.

Photo by Lavi Perchik on Unsplash