January 11, 2015
I’m in a nostalgic kind of mood
Thinking about soul food
Mother Green’s rolls
Christmas at Chew’s
Tables laden with food
Macaroni and cheese
Greens
Black-eyed peas
Potato salad
Homemade cakes and pies
A veritable feast for the eyes
Bobby Shelby’s brisket
And a buffet of food
On kitchen counters
Card tables
Soul food
Christmas breakfast at the Gray’s
How did so many folks get into that small room?
The best food in the world
Soul food
Food from the soul to the soul
Mixed with tears and laughter
Recipes passed down from slaves
Made with love by folks who knew
How to make a feast from just a few
Scraps and leftovers
Memories
Community
Soul food
When there was a table for the kids
And they treated their elders with respect
Instead of terror
And adults acted like grown folks
A different era
Red Kool-Aid
Frappe punch
Watergate salad
In the church basement
A time when families like the Watsons were honored
To open their home for a late-night spread
After the revival
Houses filled with scents that were heaven sent
Soul food
Seasoned with love
And prepared with care
Like Mother Green’s coconut cream pies
Long ago ingested
But still alive
In my memory
My soul cries
For those days of old
More than just the food
The Gathering
Love
Family
Community
The Memory
Soul Food
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