Thanksgiving Remembrance

Growing up in a large family fifty years ago, Thanksgiving was always a huge event in which relatives who may not see each other at any other time of year gathered.  Even today those memories still filter through. Ed has written a poem remembering those family Thanksgiving.  It is interesting to me to think about in what ways our perceptions were the same and how they were different.

Thanksgiving  Remembrance

We were ordinary people

Living in the dark secrets

Nobody talked about

A Catholic family

Seven kids

And innumerable 

Aunts

Uncles

Cousins

On Thanksgiving

The clan congregated

In our modest tract home

Filling

Every open space

With food

Appetizers

Chips

Dip made with Lipton soup

Celery

Carrots

Ranch Dip

The counter overflowing

With single and

Double crusted pies

Pumpkin

Mincemeat

Pecan

All the kids

Were sequestered

Out of the house

Until the feast

Was spread

In true Rockwell style

I don’t remember

If  grace was said

But these survivors

Of the Depression

Dust Bowl

And World War II

Had gratitude

In their DNA

I imagine

The short

Prayer

For health

And Strength

And daily food

We praise thy name O Lord

Would be a sincere

And accurate prayer

For these South Dakota transplants

Multiple tables were set

Children ate on card tables

Relegated

To share this feast

With a cousin

You did not like

Turkey

Ham

Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Candied Yams

Sweet Rolls

Green bean casserole

Corn

Brussels sprouts ( for the adults)

More food

Then we would see

In most months

As our family

Would receive

Bags of groceries

Left on the doorstep

So not to embarrass

For which we were grateful

After dinner

We were sagely

Obligated to wait

Until our normally

Shrunken bellies

Now stretched to capacity

Had room for dessert

Which when allowed

Was devoured with delight

This one day a year

When indulgence

Was not a sin

Tables were cleared

The adults sat down

To talk

Or engage

In a fractious game

Of Pinochle

While my brothers

And sisters

Emptied sink

After sink

Of dirty dishes

Until

They sparkled

Shiny

Returned to their place

The leftovers

Divided

And distributed

Like care packages

Which would be made

Into next week's dinners