The Pantry

I built me a pantry with shelves to the sky

Eleven feet deep and 20 feet wide –

Protected from moisture, I sealed it from bugs

I added some lights but no carpets or rugs –

With mighty supports every shelf could withstand

Whatever the farmers could squeeze in a can –

I had twice filtered venting to circulate air

And natural earth-tones to keep down the glare –

On the back of the door a colorful chart

Showing organizationally where to start –

There were rotation schedules to weed out the dates

So when it was time, it wasn’t too late –

The tallest and biggest were put to the back

And never precariously were they stacked –

Medium sizes in carefully went

Labels face front and never a dent –

Finally the little guys with no long term leases

Things that had caps and of course stems & pieces –

I had spinach and chili and all sorts of beans

Brown breads and carrots, red things and green –

There were things that I hadn’t a clue of their uses

And stuff that came sealed up and packed in their juices –

There was Asian, Italian, Armenian, and Greek

With occasional sensors should one spring a leak –

Asparagus spears and pumpkin for pies

Olives and cherries and fish with their eyes –

Potatoes, tomatoes, diced and pureed

And some kind of coating designed to be sprayed –

French style green beans, small franks in a row

Artichoke hearts with beets don’t you know –

Pineapple rings and soup of the day

Liver from gooses, some say its pate’ –

I had filled up my pantry, packed in left to right

The only thing missing was a good appetite -

And a can opener.