Thursday, November 28, 2019

Full and Empty: A Thanksgiving Poem

Empty oven.
Empty pans.
Empty roasters.
Empty plans.

Make a list of
Fifty goals
Write a guest list:
Fifteen souls.

Empty crock pots.
Empty case.
Clean the fridge and
Clear the space.

Make a menu.
Time to start.
Fill the WinCo
Shopping cart.

Peel potatoes.
Celery chop.
Fill the piecrusts 
To the top.

Crank the pressure
Cooker's vent.
Fill the kitchen 
With the scent

Fill the crock pots.
Whip the cream.
Work together
As a team.

Empty table
Stretch it long
Set the plates where
They belong.

Fold the napkins
Set the spoons
Guests will be 
Arriving soon.

Family, strangers
Covered miles.
Here they come with
Cautious smiles.

Empty stomachs.
Hard to wait.
Smells that make us
Salivate.

Bustling kitchen.
Joyful hugs.
Cream and coffee
In the mugs.

Pull the turkey.
Slice the meat.
It is almost 
Time to eat.

Stir the gravy.
Warm the rolls.
Unplug crock pots.
Fill the bowls.

Fill the table.
Fill the chairs.
Join the hands and
Offer prayers.

Pass potatoes.
Stuffing, dip.
Don't let the turkey
Platter slip.

Pass ideas.
Questions, ask.
Discussion is a
Worthy task.

Make connections.
Comprehend.
Laugh together. 
Be a friend.

Groaning stomachs.
Drooping eyes.
Pass the coffee.
Cut the pies.

Empty dishes.
Stack the plates.
Can't believe how
Much we ate.

Fill the empty
Tupperware.
Wash the china
With great care.

Fill the couch and
Comfy chairs
Nap like hibernating 
Bears.

Pass the party mix
And yawn.
Bring on Settlers
Of Catan.

Hug the guests and 
Say goodbye.
House feels empty.
Night is nigh.

Hearts are full as
At this day's
End we whisper
Thanks and praise.

4 comments:

  1. Dorcas I was thinking about you yesterday because it was your first Thanksgiving without your dear dad. I'm sure it was bittersweet.
    Your poem was lovely. About empty roasters, I'm still learning how to roast a turkey in an electric roaster. I put ours 21 pound in at 10:00 in the morning and by 3:30 that sucker still wasn't completely cooked. We discovered this when my husband started carving and we saw raw meat even though our instant read thermometer said it was done. Thank the Lord for microwave ovens!
    So we carved several servings and nuked them. Then I stuck the turkey in the oven, NOT the roaster oven to completely cook.
    Have a blessed weekend!

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  2. Wonderful poem! It captures everything about a family Thanksgiving gathering. Thank you for sharing your gift with words.

    About roasting turkeys--my mom introduced me to the Reynolds cooking bags and I've never looked back. Our 21 lb. bird cooked in 2.5 hours and was moist and flavorful. You might want to give the bag a try.

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    Replies
    1. Oh I love the Reynolds bags but unfortunately that can't be used in the electric roasters countertop . I think I will contact Reynolds and encourage them to make liners for the electric roasters.
      Thank you though. I'm thinking that I will go back using my trusty gas oven for roasting my turkey and getting turkey bags plus a disposable roasting pan!

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  3. Excellent!! You should be a poet, Dorcas. I'm sure it was hard to have Thanksgiving without your dad. Have a great day!!!!

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