and our theme is food. I recall fondly
visiting my paternal grandparents, the
wonderful meals at the big round table,
and most of all my grandfather bowing his
head and saying grace....a long grace!
Submitted to Poets & Storytellers United
July 22, 2020
*****************
I remember Grandma’s kitchen
From those days of long ago
For never king nor president
Saw such a wondrous show.
The smell of Grandma’s dumplings
I remember to this day
And, just as surely I recall
Grandpa saying “Let us pray”.
And large and small we’d bow our heads
Each seated in our place
And over all a silence fell
While Grandpa said the grace.
“The crops”, he’d say, “are mighty dry.
Lord, we pray you see fit for rain.
And Neighbor Brown is poorly, Lord
We pray you ease his pain.”
And the trails of steam grew shorter
Over Grandma’s wondrous bounty
While Grandpa brought before the Lord
Each sinner in the county.
“We pray, oh Lord, for wisdom
For the leaders of our land
That they may steer this country
With a sure and steady hand.”
His burdens laid upon the Lord
Grandpa would finally reach “amen”
When heads were raised, our forks were poised
All ready to dig in.
Now I know Grandpa’s in heaven
As it is his rightful place
But, when God’s hungry, I’ll bet he says
“You set the table, Fred, I’ll say the grace!”
*************
Photo by Eric Enstrom
What a delightful poetic memory .... I love it.
ReplyDeleteHA!
ReplyDeleteGrace before meals was a part of the table setting growing up, Sadly that was not accepted by this generation who luv to eat in front of the TV or in their rooms
ReplyDeletehappy Wednesday Bev
much love...
We still honor the old tradition at family gatherings, though admittedly not when eating in front of the TV!
DeleteThis is so moving, Beverly! Thank you so much for sharing a cherished poetic memory with us. You warmed my heart!🍲🧆💝
ReplyDeleteI love your Grandpa's prayers. I don't know if my Grandpa prayed, for sure he didnt at meal time. But his four sons did, one would when we all got together. They were all deacons in their churches.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandfather before get together meals was always, "Okay, you kids all get in the woodbox, we are going to eat." There could be mine of us kids, first cousins.
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That's a puzzlement you'll have to explain, Jim. What did he mean by "get in the woodbox"? Funny the memories we carry around in the attic of our brains!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful memory! And I love the touch of humour at the end.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother’s kitchen and her cooking have stayed with me all these years, longer than my mother’s, who was not much of a cook. My grandmother also said grace.
ReplyDeleteYes, mothers and grandmas were always in charge in the kitchens of my childhood. It was quite a diffent world back then.
ReplyDeleteI remember a "Let us pray" session before a meal, conducted by a bishop of a denomination that I will not name. He prayed so long and so fervently that the food was barely warm when he finished. It was hard to be thankful.
ReplyDeleteCharming poem. Grandpa still remembered. He will be smiling
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite quotes by Shirley Abbott: "Our ancestors dwell in the attic of our brains, as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell in our bodies".
DeleteThat ending was adorable!
ReplyDelete