TABLE TALK

 

 

Everyone’s here,

table seated,

let’s begin with a prayer

and eat what’s heated. 

But, pray, tonight,

can we share more than food?

An event from the day to relate?

An interlude

from the routine,

set the scene,

create a mood?

 

I ate

for lunch

super-sized fries

and apple pies

with a Nestle Crunch.

 

No, no.

something important

not about food.

 

It would be important to me

if you would pass

the peas, potato salad and pimento cheese.

 

How about russets?

They’re bakers,

the best.

 

No, not potato talk,

table talk.

You know, chew the fat.

Damn!

Why did I say that?

 

Now that you mention it,

the meat is tough.

But, hey!

“Good for your jaw muscles,”

parents would say.

When food and times were rough

we ate what was there.

Now that there’s plenty,

We pretend to be picky

but eat anything

anywhere.                                                                                  

 

Enough!  Enough!

This isn’t a trough!

This focus on food is fraught

with naught.

No thoughts to talk?

Dinner’s done.

I quit; you’ve won.

If you can’t leave and run,

just walk.   

 

Of course, but first

is there dessert?

 

Dennis R. Keefe

6/29/05