A short poetry collection by Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall
Thanksgiving Essentials are out of Stock
-Thus saith the news
A house, a book, a dog, a good warm coat
A job, a ride, a friend, someone to love
A dream, a hope, a plan, coffee with you
A family around the table, something to eat
And gratitude – all the essentials are in stock
The Beginning of Etiquette
Don’t lapse into low-prole defensiveness
About getting the settings properly spaced
Such is important, but for elegance
Just start with your heart; the rest falls into place
Don’t forget the napkins, set the plates so
Upon the tablecloth with its delicate lace
Silverware all in an orderly row
And never, ever neglect to say grace
Honor your guests and give thanks to God:
Anything less would be lacking and odd
Thanksgiving Dinner at the Children’s Table
Thanksgiving is Christmas without any toys
And you get stuck at the children’s table
For more years than is strictly necessary
Because some extra old people show up
The uncle who has a diagnosis story
For every course, including the pies and cakes
Another helping of irritable bowel syndrome?
And the auntie who tries to hush him up
The cute second cousin you never met before
She’s your age but gets to sit at the Big Table
(And after her first glance she never looks
at you again)
Thanksgiving Dinner with Generous Helpings of Biological Functions
Would you please pass the bowel-movement stories
Gosh, this lab-test casserole sure looks great
I love the well-steamed vasectomy glories
And a helping of dentistry on my plate
This year I fried the potassium levels
They taste as yummy as a cancer scare
And here’s heart surgery with our revels
For Christmas I’m getting a new potty chair
The kids have gone outside, oh what a fuss –
Why don’t they want to have dinner with us?
Tryptophan Dreams after Thanksgiving Dinner
(channeling our inner Dorothy Parker)
Sleepy now, from excess of meat and cup
But unlike the poor turkey, we will wake up!
LogoSophia Magazine 