Professor Hull’s Class

byHillary Bowler, Katie Brammer, Megan Getz, Jessica Kerr, Emily

Peckham, Laurel Young

Cereal Careers, no one understood the point of the class, But graduate they must, so the grains came by the mass.

Today Professor Hull raised a question to his students. “What do you want?” he asked. “What will you be? For what are you meant?”

“Pasta!” “Bagels!” “Rolls!” and “Bread!” A host of bakery goods were said.

“A cookie!” one voice in the back was heard. “Impossible! You hard-wheat nerd!”

The teacher smiled, “Students,” said he, “There’s much to be learned! Follow me!” And follow they did, in two straight lines.

Dreams of edible futures filled their eager grain minds.

“First lesson,” Wheatley shouted, “One must first be made into flour!” And shout he did, for the mill to his right couldn’t possibly be louder.

“Cleaned and conditioned, broken and sifted, purified, pulverized, packaged, and shippeded.

“Those, my wheat friends are the steps to the process That turns you to flour and true—I won’t gloss this—

The journey is difficult; the steps can be lengthy. To be flour is for those who are patient and strengthy.

“Some of you will pass as flour right after the very first step! But most must wait it out—for these requirements need be met:

Nobody wants a dirty flour, for dirty flour means dirty bread! Kernels must be washed and polished, if they expect to get ahead

“Next, to soften the endosperm of the hard-headed seed. Some warm, wet conditioning is just what they need.

Now continuing on! It’ll be crushingly fun! As I said before, some flour is finished before the rest is done.

“But for those who are found to be not as refined, You’ll be sent through a “swirly” of the dry-milling kind.

Broken, sifted, sized, and ground, Acquainted with “mids,” though trite that may sound

“Many times through you may go, as is needed, Until you are perfect to be mixed and kneaded.

You will become flour, the finest of fine. Now hang on, just listen, you’re starting to whine!

“Bleached, enriched, or guaranteed not to stale, You’ll be packaged, and sealed up, and labeled for sale.

And so there you have it—the dry-milling glory. The happiest ending to any grain’s story.”

Then old Professor Hull stepped down from his stage, For he noticed his students were starting to age.

“Ah well, however you do it, make yourselves flour! To be mixed and baked is an enviable power.”

Then he let class out early as often he did, And off to the silo ran the silly kernel kids.

He’s sure that someday they will love what they know, I mean, well, let’s be honest, don’t we all want more dough?

The End