by Bruce Bennett

“Good morning. We are a week into the war in Ukraine,
and my inbox is filled with requests for recipes for borscht.”
—Cooking column in The New York Times

We will defeat the Russian Bear
with mushroom, onion, beet.
We’ll beard him with our strongest fare.
We will defeat the Russian Bear
and show him we are brave and care
through what we make and eat.
We will defeat the Russian Bear
with mushroom, onion, beet.

Our recipes will do the trick.
He will turn tail and run.
If not, we’ll make him weak and sick.
Our recipes will do the trick.
We know what will upend and lick
his missile, tank, and gun.
Our recipes will do the trick.
He will turn tail and run.

He’ll learn that he has met his match
and no more will invade.
We’ll act with purpose and dispatch.
He’ll learn that he has met his match.
He’ll cringe when he observes this batch
of borscht that we have made.

He’ll know then he has met his match
and never more invade!