"My Southern Food Memories, 1979" (poem)

file photo courtesy of Evan-Amos

Hoop cheese, Vi-enna sausages,

and saltine crackers

Eaten on the back of a pickup truck;

RC cola and peanuts,

Pawpaw’s treat at the feed store;

Eating a big Twix ‘n Tween burger

goin’ to Aunt Sue’s.

Fried cornbread, fried Spam and

a pot of black-eyed peas

Mama made in her kitchen.

Fried catfish with hushpuppies

Fryin’ at church on  Saturday.

Granny’s big breakfast with

grits, eggs, and sausage,

and Pawpaw asking

 for sawmill gravy on biscuits

the size of a cat’s head.

"Great Uncle Clarence in the Springtime" (poem)

Great Uncle Clarence sits on the porch,

The evening sun has set the sky a’fire.

He rocks back in his chair.

“The pecan tree’s a’leafin’ out,

time to put tomatoes in the ground,”

He swats at a spring mosquito.

“The dogwood’s a’bloomin’ too, time for my bath.”

Aunt Minnie smiles, first time since fall.