a penny for your thoughts
shiny and new
knew what to do
as housewife and mother
to her children
she give of herself
a gift that keeps on giving
as daddy made a living
Queen in the kitchen
chicken liver and schmaltz
her fried chicken
made dad a happy man
mom would cook
from the gourmet cook book
our Thursday nights
maids day off
mom and dad danced
a living room romance
those porterhouse steaks
on the outdoor grill
three inches thick well marbled
tomatoes were sliced in half
barbecued that’s a fact Ohara
seared charcoal black
caesar salad suited the palette
prime rib medium rare
with little pearl onions carrots potatoes
the bill of fare
roasted beyond compare
hot cherry tomatoes for rani and dad
I didn’t eat them but it made me glad
capon was a neutered male
mashed potatoes and gravy
every nite our appetites satisfied
every meal was tasty
Queens apple pie
lemon meringue a many splendor thing
the joy Queen would bring
there wasn’t a day gone by without
she could bake broil fry anything
those days our mom kept thinner
yet always had room for dinner
so good I’d lick my fingers
liquor is quicker
got out the punch bowl
eggnog Louie sherry vanilla ice cream whisky
we drank it like it was going out of style
and it has
grandma Frances’ chopped chicken liver
chicken fricassee
orange sections in their skins
we belonged to her and she belonged to us
grandpa joe would show us his badge
called himself the defective detective
we believed him.