It's a Little Cheeseburger

For Day 19 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt asked us to write a “how to” poem. I wrote a poem on how to get your young child to eat steak.

It's a Little Cheeseburger

We're tired of chicken nuggets.
I don't want mac and cheese.
Let's do something different.
How about a juicy steak, please?
We'll eat it with broccoli and potatoes.
You'll try at least one of those.

Daddy starts making our dinner;
delicious smells waft to my nose.
Finally, we place the meal before you,
and sit down to eat our food.
You look at the steak on your plate
and with a huff of attitude,
you declare that you don't want it,
but you agree to eat the broccoli.
You like the way the veggie looks
because it reminds you of a tree.

You eat all of your broccoli,
then you look at your potatoes.
Daddy asks you to try it,
but you just wrinkle your nose.
"Try it, and you might like it!"
I sing a little song,
hoping music from your favorite show
will convince you to go along.
You try it after a minute of cajoling
and Daddy agrees to feed you with a spoon,
but a few bites later you push it away.
Your meal has ended way too soon.

So we try to get you to eat the steak
with silly songs and promises of dessert.
We offer to feed you little bites,
but still your head remains avert.
"It's a little cheeseburger,"
Daddy finally says to you.
You look at him and smile,
and then what do you do?
You open your mouth for a bite.
You chew and swallow the steak.
Then once you eat it all,
you immediately ask for cake.

So if you want your child
to eat a juicy steak,
tell her it's a little cheeseburger.
You might save yourself a headache.