We were still too full to move
But Grandma made a big pot of tea
And served up bread and butter
On the plates with the gingham pattern.
In the middle of the table
Stood a large round fruitcake
But Grandma called it plumcake.
She had planted a little china snowman
and an angel in the white icing.
They were there every year.
When did they disappear?
In one of Grandma's sales
between England and Canada?
The tea was too strong for us.
The cake was too hard
For Grandma always tried to save on butter.
But I loved the marzipan and
the hard white icing
at the foot of the angel and snowman.
The men, my father and uncles,
Tested Grandma's parsnip wine.
"Packs a wallop," said Grandpa,
Throwing it back and smacking his lips.
"That cake! I thought I was eating
the plate," said Dad
As we drove home in the Rambler.
Author notes
Sometimes teatime is more memorable if the food isn't that good. I remember Grandma fondly in spite of the cake and she did make excellent chips.
In a list
A contest entry
- Tea and Cake by cricketjeff.
1000 points, ended August 7, 2008, 17 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - #158 Help Set My Holiday Mood by daviscth.
875 points, ended November 10, 2008, 18 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Happy Childhood Memories. by mystic-angel.
1350 points, ended November 23, 2008, 19 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Top Notch Poems About Christmas by ecrivain01.
1250 points, ended November 22, 21 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
So, what's your opinion of this?
Comments
1 - 11 of 11
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There's nothing like some really DISGUSTING food at Christmas. After all, the nosh can't have been too good in that Palestinian stable in days of yore, can it?
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They probably didn't get a chance to overeat. Mostly lentil soup, I would think.
I am usually glad to get back to normal eating by Jan. 1. Thanks for your comment.
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What a lovely poem about Christmas memories. It is the spirit of Christmas not anything else that truly matters. The cake may not have been good but the memories were. Good luck in your contests.
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Yes ...
this is an excellent poem.
Thanks for entering. -
Oh I love this! Wonderfully written and what a great memory to have. Thanks for your entry and good luck.
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What a wonderful memory for you to cherish forever!!! Sometimes, these are the best kind and make us smile the most. Thanks so much for sharing this with me. I love it.
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^_^ This poem has a nostalgic feel to it. Definitely touching. I can relate to this in every way possible.
"We were still too full to move
But Grandma made a big pot of tea
And served up bread and butter
On the plates with the gingham pattern."
I feel where you're coming from. ^_^ Always nice to have a heartwarming family that just wants to keep giving isn't it?
""Packs a wallop," said Grandpa,"
This made me chuckle to myself. I can imagine my own grandfather saying this haha Wonderful write. Definitely goes with the "tea and cake" theme.
-Lily♥
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My cakes always melt in the mouth
Lovely memories and lovely poem, thanks a lot for entering.
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It's fun to think back on the eccentricities of our relatives, it makes life so much more interesting when people do things their own way. I'm sure your grandma was a fabulous person as mine was, maybe I should write a poem, too.
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I wish my family had memories like that, it sounds wonderful. I bet parsnip wine is geat!
This was a really great write that you should keep and share with your children and grand children. It's got that kind of effect. -
What a vivid and colorful scene you set - if this is a memoir, it's a dandy. I love the wistful sense of loving a long lost icing and a pair of figurines and that last stanza is the icing on the cake for sure, very humorous.
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