Queen Of Dried Fruit  

A sultan many years ago

was lounging on his patio

and eating grapes fresh from the vine

that had a mellow yellow shine.

 

A sultan is a kind of king

who never cleans up anything.

He didn’t finish all the bunch

before he went inside for lunch.

 

His naughty servants didn’t care

and left the plate of grapes out there.

With all the sun and wafting breeze

those grapes dried to the size of peas.

 

Their wrinkly skins now golden brown

provoked the king to make a frown.

But thinking they were some new treat

those old dry grapes he tried to eat!

 

The servants feared he might get ill

then one of them he’d want to kill.

But as he chewed he tapped his feet

then said, Yum-yum.  They taste so sweet!

 

Their name’s sultana, like my wife.

The queen of all that’s sweet in life.

But was it that he also knew

she’d soon go brown and wrinkly too?