26 November 2007

A Thanksgiving Poem

Yeah, it's a little late. So sue me, or take away my poetic license. Or you can complain to Anonymous. It's his fault, after all. He instigated this little childhood conspiracy. I was too innocent to dream up such an evil plot. Honest.



The First Thanksgiving


In 1972 we made my dad eat turkey for the first time.
Ever.

From 1960-1971 we ate lasagna and sausage for
Thanksgiving.

In late 1970 my brother and I began to plot the holiday dinner menu—
with no success.

At six months old, my mother said I ate ravioli instead of
baby food.

In 1938 my great-grandmother chopped the heads off live chickens.
My father was six years old.

Man landed on the moon in 1969, I stayed up late to watch.
Anything was possible.

From 1965-1973 I was only vaguely aware there was a war.
Mom didn't let me watch the news.

From first to fifth grade I drank tea after school with my grandmother
at least once a week.

In sixth grade I was an Indian for the Thanksgiving play
because I had black hair.

Nobody in our family had a birthday in November.
Mine was 15 days before Christmas.

My other grandmother always fixed turkey/mashed potatoes/pumpkin pie.
It was our second dinner of the day.

In early November of that year my brother and I discovered
guilt trips.

In 1972 we made my dad eat turkey for the first time.
Ever.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad to have been such a positive influence and such a stellar role model in your childhood!

Constance Brewer said...

Hey, everything interesting I learned, I learned from my big brother. *g*

Anonymous said...

Dad still does not eat chicken or turkey,willingly.
He's been suprised a few times after reading the ingredients of some pre-packaged food.

When I cook on the grill for us....he considers the grill "contaminated" if chicken has been cooked prior to his steak or pork spiedies.

I started calling him the "Italian Rabbi" for his food rules!

Constance Brewer said...

You don't have a special grill just for him??

Do you have any 'food rules'? I seem to recall at one point, your food groups couldn't touch each other. :)