Chopsticks

Jay Mankita c 1990 


I never thought chopsticks were easy to use 

When I used ‘em my noodles fell onto my shoes 

And the floor was soon covered with noodles and pineapples 

Mushrooms and tofu and rice 


I learned to play this song on piano 

I must have been about five or six 

It’s pretty short and very famous 

This composition is called chopsticks 


This song on the piano requires two hands 

But you only use one when you write with a pen 

This utensil’s like having two pencils in one hand 

Like writing this song and then writing it again 


Now maybe I’m just making excuses 

Or maybe I need a better brand 

And yes, it’s true; there are some people 

Who play the piano with just one hand 


Now noodles and pineapples, mushrooms and rice, 

And tofu are some foods that I think are nice 

But there’s food in my hair and without silverware 

I feel like my meal has been eaten up twice 


It would be good to learn the secret 

and eat with chopsticks by and by 

So fill my plate and pass the chopsticks 

And maybe I’ll give ‘em one more try

© Jay Mankita Productions 2011