Ok, one last Halloween post and I'll abandon the topic until next year. As you're munching on your candy haul, watch this funny video created by German actor, comedian, and musician Flula Borg. He begins, "Yes, it is Halloween, but the only thing that haunts me is this very terrible poem."
The poem in question is:
Trick or Treat
Smell your feet
Give me something good to eat
Borg goes on to hilariously deconstruct every line. At one point he exclaims, "This is not how the barter system works." Watch it if you find deadpan humor funny.
It really is a strange poem. I tried to find the origin but didn't have much luck. I did find this piece in the Smithsonian Magazine about the origins of Halloween, which traces the centuries-old history of trick or treating. That piece also references this Merriam-Webster article focusing specifically on the history of the term "trick or treat." The Smithsonian Magazine states:
According to a Merriam-Webster blog post, research conducted by etymologist Barry Popik suggests the term "trick or treat" first appeared in the early 1920s, when several Canadian newspapers used variations of it. A November 1923 article published in the Saskatchewan Leader-Post described a quiet Halloween, noting that "'Treats' not 'tricks' were the order of the evening," while a November 1924 article published in Alberta's Red Deer Advocate stated:
"Hallowe'en night was observed in the usual manner by the young 'bloods' in Penhold. 'Fun is fun, and tricks are tricks,' but when such public buildings as school and Memorial Hall are molested with no option for 'Treat or Trick,' we can not see where either fun or trick is enjoyed by the participants."
Although I found info about the history of Halloween and "trick or treat," I couldn't find anything specifically about the poem. If you know more about its origins, please drop the info in the boards!
