Shadow and Light Poetry

ode ot thanksgiving

Ode to Thanksgiving Meals Past and Present

Growing up
My favorite holidays
Were Thanksgiving
And Christmas

We did a traditional Thanksgiving.
And Christmas dinner as well
Southern American style
My Mom was from Arkansas.
My Dad was from Yakima.
We lived in Berkeley, California

Featuring of course the full bird

Roasted turkey
Stuffing in the bird
Gravy
Sweet potato pie with marshmallows
Cranberry sauce
Mashed potatoes
Corn Bread
Salad
Green beans
Southern-style greens –
turnip, collard, kale, spinach
with bacon, ham, onions, and molasses
Rice
Wild rice
Roasted potato au gratin
Pumpkin pie with whipped cream
Vanilla ice cream to finish the meal.

And leftover turkey sandwiches
For a week

Nowadays
Whenever I am
In the world
I try to have a traditional
Thanksgiving dinner

but it is hard.
doing so overseas
were turkey.
is just not that common.
a food item.

over the years

I have had steak.
Ham, Mexican food
Indian food
Even sushi on thanksgiving
In Okinawa

And once
I had Tofu Turkey
Even though
I am from California.
That was a step too far.
Just not for me.

But in the end
Nothing is more satisfactory.
Then eating turkey
On Thanksgiving night

I have added drinking.
A bit of bourbon
On Thanksgiving Day
To my routine

On this Thanksgiving Day
In Korea

We did a roasted turkey breast.
Cranberry sauce
Mashed potatoes
Asparagus
Cheesecake

Bourbon
And wine

The turkey, cranberry sauces, bourbon, and wine
came from the Army Commissary
The other ingredients from COSTCO

It was just divine.
As always

And in the end
It all comes together.
As I eat my Thanksgiving dinner
No matter where I am.

As long as I am eating.
Thanksgiving dinner
With my wife
It does not matter too much.
What we are eating

Forever thankful
She is there?
To share my life
On this special day.