Bread and Nuts
BREAD AND NUTS
a story of intolerance
“It’s a very fine day to learn something new,
and a very fine feeling to be doing it with you.”
Said the naan to the bread as they walked their way to school.
Emerging at the gates, they saw a pitta frown,
As he looked upon the bread with such heat that made him brown.
“You mustn't pass these gates, for that I can’t permit.
For if I were to do so, the Chapati would have a fit!”
The naan began to question, the flattened bread in front,
Since after all they were all dough’s, why should bread have to bear the brunt.
Pitta threw his hands up, they mustn’t make a scene,
This school is intolerant, is all that they could glean.
“There’s a school just streets ahead, you do not have to worry,
We have more time to learn new things, for that there is no hurry”.
Naan and bread both skipped ahead, feeling keen delight.
At what the other school would teach, so cheery and so bright.
A bun appeared before their eyes, looking with such pity,
“You cannot enter in this school, find another in the city!”
Naan and bread went off again to find a school ahead,
One that would be happy to accept all kinds of bread.
On the way they saw a nut, a schoolbag in his hand,
He appeared in the same predicament, he wasn’t the right brand.
“Hello, I’m pleased to meet you”, bread began to say,
Nut looked up and beamed at him, “Shall we join you on your way?”
Together they went off to find somewhere to learn some lessons,
They realised how similar they were in their confessions.
“I make people’s tummies bloat, give pain and constipation”
Bread acknowledged to the nut, and his distant relation.
“Well, I can make throats swell up, give some trouble breathing”
Nut attested to them both, “It really isn’t pleasing”.
Unfortunate as it seemed, they saw the brighter side.
They couldn’t change who they were, but this could be their guide.
They’d widen out their friendships to food of all persuasions,
Any trace of gluten, nut or egg were welcomed on all occasions.
As it happened, bread and nut became the best of friends,
Their hearts were full, their minds were open, until the stories end.
THE END