Tribute to the Oyster

Oysters in their beds from Disney’s Alice in Wonderland

Let us royster with the oyster – in the shorter days and moister,

That are brought by brown September, with its roguish final R;

For breakfast or for supper, on the under shell or upper,

Of dishes he’s the daisy, and of shell-fish he’s the star.

We try him as they fry him, and even as they pie him;

We’re partial to him luscious in a roast;

We boil him and broil him, we vinegar-and-oil him,

And O, he is delicious stewed with toast!

We eat him with tomatoes, and the salad with potatoes,

Nor look him o’er with horror when he follows the cold-slaw;

And neither does he fret us if he marches after lettuce

And abreast of cayenne pepper when his majesty is raw.

So welcome with September to the knife and glowing ember,

Juicy darling of our dainties, dispossessor of the clam!

To the oyster, then, a hoister, with him a royal royster

We shall whoop it through the land of heathen jam!