Le Poisson d'Avril

Cherry

By luigi_pagano

Sat, 26 Mar 2022
  • 884 reads
8 comments
 

In nineteen-fifty-seven
the B.B.C
tricked many people
but didn't fool me.

We heard the story
of a spaghetti tree,
the news relayed 
by Richard Dimbleby

They said that a beetle,
the spaghetti weevil,
had in the past
caused upheaval.

But now that pest
had lost the fight
and everything
was once again right

Farmers produced
a bumper crop
that would fill
many a shop.

It was what the Fench
call the poisson d'avril
and the hoax was
absolutely brill.

A native Italian
who knew about pasta
was dismayed and cried
That's outrageous. Basta. *

 

© Luigi Pagano 2022

* basta (Italian) = enough

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti-tree_hoax

Certificate U
Poem
Are you being versed?
Humour
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I remember my parents being surprised by that :0) Sadly not a joke is how many people believe potatoes grow on trees. Where I live, several farms grow potatoes, yet some young children still do, very strange. I don't know how The presenter did not giggle all through the program you mentioned :0)

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Hello Di, the credulity of some people is amazing. I remember reading that an episode of the radio drama 'The War of the Worlds'. narrated by Orson Welles in 1938 sounded so authentic that it caused panic among the listeners who thought that the Earth was being invaded.
Thanks for reading and commenting.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

That hoax was really appreciated wasn't it. I don't remember hearing the tale of the weevil.

There are sometimes news items you really feel must be a hoax and feel astonished to find that they aren't.. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

That's true, Rhiannon, there are some stories that sound unbelievable that are actually true. The exact opposite of fake news.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I think that's what some news organisations try to do nowadays on April 1st - try to find stories which are true but almost unbelievable ..

The War of the Worlds was quite terrifying. I think I listened to the original, or a copy of the original once, and I could see where people were coming from when they fled!

Thanks for this reminder Luigi, of gentler days when all we needed to think about was spaghetti trees

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

I never listened to a recording of that radio drama, Claudine, but in view of what you said, about being realistic and frightening, perhaps I should.
Kind regards and thanks for the fruit.

Luigi x

 

 

 

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Very clever piece, Luigi. Reiminds me of the Orsaon Welles Mars Invasion Hoax back in 1938. I'd like to say that it's hard to believe that people qouldfall for such a hoax, but then I turn to my daily newspaper and, well, you know the rest. Ha. Always a pleassure to read your humor.

Rich

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

You are so right, Rich, the stuff one reads in newspapers nowadays stretches one's imagination and can be described as fake news, hard to believe.
Pleased to hear from a master of humor like yourself that you appreciate my kind of jocularity.

Cheers, Luigi.