Fish and Chips

During my senior year of high school, we were discussing assistive goods in my AP

Microeconomics class. Mr. Williams, our teacher, presented the following example to the class: "If there is a potato famine in England, what will happen to the demand of fish?"

A friend and I were shocked. "Oh no!" we cried. "No more fish and chips? What will the English eat?" However, the rest of the class was utterly perplexed, "Why would the demand of fish be affected by a potato famine."

As a result, we were given a crash course on English cuisine followed by one of the most bizarre arguments I have ever witnessed. For twenty minutes, my classmates wailed about how it was a TERRIBLE question, how on EARTH would they know about fish and chips, and on and on and on it went.

Finally, Mr. WIlliams was able to get a word in and, almost desperately, pointed out the explanation of fish and chips at the bottom of the page. However, instead of placating the naysayers, it instead fueled another ten minute verbal assault on the passage. I was so inspired by these events, I wrote the following poem and had it published in an anthology of high school poetry.

Fish and Chips

The tubers have been washed away

The rains took them to sea.

Every single lumpy spud

Is now completely free.

All the little fishies

Swam around in glee

Since all the 'tatoes of the land

Were floating in the sea.

"No more fish and chops to eat!"

Was the common, joyful cry

Not a tear ran down a cheek

Or glistened in an eye.

They knew they had to celebrate

The fact they'd never die

As some helpless victim

Of a cook who likes to fry.

But in the midst of happiness

An octopus took heed

And in a gulp she soon found out

That all were good indeed.