To Butter A Bagel

To butter a bagel
You need to finagle
Just to inveigle
The slithering spread
To the edge of the bread,
Avoiding the hole
Of this crisp Jewish roll
Lest globs of goo land
In the palm of your hand.

If you want to add extras
You'd better be dexterous
And nab the stray blocks
Of cream cheese and lox
That fall through the middle
Of this no-middle vittle.

--Alma Denny

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