suitcases
when i was a kid
hotcakes for breakfast
were common at our house
syrup made from sugar and water
cooked on the wood burning stove
fresh churned butter
and strawberry jam
a breakfast fit for royalty
growing up
on my grandparents farm
we seldom had fancy food
but we always had plenty of it
and those hotcakes were great
soggy from the sugar syrup
mama would set them before us
all soft and warm
and we’d watch the butter melt
as she poured on the hot syrup
or we’d cover them
with grandma’s strawberry jam
and we’d sit there patiently
while she cut them
into little squares
‘suitcases’, she called them
we’d giggle about where we were going
a train ride to far off places?
with each suitcase we’d eat
there was a place far away
just awaiting our arrival
by the time we were finished eating
we’d been around the world
and back again
sometimes there was mush
had to have our oatmeal
at least three times a week, she’d say
i’d load mine up with butter
and a little brown sugar ….yum
or there’d be eggs and bacon
and homemade bread with
grandma’s strawberry jam
or her wonderful apple butter
cold cereal was a special treat
but our all time favorite
were those little suitcases
specially made by mama
as she laughed at out travels
…..and then sat down
to travel with us
dee garner
april 18, 2004
Author notes
a little nostalgia, memories from my youth
Written April 18th, 2004
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i am sat here licking my lips now lol
sounds good to me. you amde me think of when i was a kid here, my mum used to bake cakes and because there were four of us, we had to tag quickly our claim on the bowl used to mix it one of us got the bowl, another got the spoon 
a good piece here, food and memory, i remember my last meal, and the next meal will be just as good spill ink and twist me into the crazy shape of love...
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AWWIE! this is so cute and fun ! memories of the time when u were kid! it sounds so fun and cheerful! i wish i was there then with u! it certainly makes me giggle u calling them suitcases..thats kinda cute and funny! for a change i am reading such a cheerful poem and i feel happy and teeny weeny nostalgic as well! a very sweet poem!
keep it up !
preets
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lovely and sweet
oh my god this is so sweet! I love the little suitcases and travelling around the world...how metaphorical and sweet. I love it. I wish I grew up in the country....but the city is where I live, how "blach"
beautiful! -
Aww.. Sounds like a great breakfest. I remember my ma use to cook us .... wait she never cooked breakfest. I grew up on ceral or air. Dang her. But I do remember she made this orange juice every once and awhile..man, it was good. Making me thirsty just to think about it. LOL
This is a great memory of your mamma and those special times at breakfest. Great write, then again... You usally do a great job with all your poems. -
most enjoyable write
Dee this is a most charming ,warm write-I simply loved the way you have described the breakfast routine ,I can almost picture the scenario -The title of the poem just didnt take me to where i thought it would , rather it took me to a very enchanting place- your breakfast table
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Very Good
Taking a trip with breakfast is a good idea. Start the day out right I say a tasty way. Keep the memories coming. -
hmm, you made me hungry! i like this story-ish poem, i can hear you as a child giggling over silly made up travel stories and pleading for seconds, very nostalgic indeed, and beautifully so! i get the warm fuzzies from this, thanks!
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Dang, Darlene, I can't believe you don't remember the suitcases!!! I can still picture us kids waiting patiently for Mamma to finish cutting all of our hotcakes into suitcases ..you know what a stickler she was for manners and we always had to wait until each of us was ready before we could start eating.... and the fun conversations during the meal....oh well, maybe she got confused and you're way older than me instead of a year younger, that might explain the lapse in memory????
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This was interesting especially since I do not remember it a bit. But then I do not rmeember much of that time. Is it true or made up?True I guess...
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Lovely memories...
I miss some of the stuff not only mom made but grampa
Like freshmade sourcraut, extra good when flied with dumplings.
There is nothing like freshmade food, it's one of the things I miss in this fast food society.
Thanks for the memories...
Hugs....Eddy
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i'm hungry now *sigh* this is a great poem--was very fun to read. what a wonderful breath of fresh air :-)
-Heather -
Hi there
I really enjoyed this. Its a great write and I liked the idea of the suitcases. I could imagine planning every where to go. You must have had a great gran. well done. -
Awww.. Thats so cute.. It makes me feel so tingly inside.. Its not too late so Im going to go over to my grandmas house (she lives less than a block away from here) and just give her a big hug and let her know how much I apperciate her.. And same with my mom.. This was way too cute and to think I stumbled upon it on accident.. Good job Dee.. This was filled with so many memories I felt like I was sitting at the table going through the same things you were..
Love Malz -
great!
this almost makes me wish i lived on a farm with my grand ma instead of hear in the city. the description is so good i wasnt even thinking about food before i read this AND NOW IM STARVING!! -
That breakfast sounds so good to eat. I would like to have that. This is a good poem.
~Jer -
Thanks, Jennifer and Kati for taking the time to read and comment. I's much appreciated. And you, too, Hugh.
No, this isn't the poem I told you about....that one is about my father, my stepfather actually but I can honestly say that I never in my life thought of him as 'stepfather' He has always been my daddy ... funny, even at my age I can't call him Dad.... I came from a whole different era, I guess. Daddy is always Daddy...just as my mother has always been 'Mamma'.
Dee
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Dee,
Aww, this was sweet. Good to read something happy for a change! I don't read those too often. But beautiful job!!
Kati -
I really enjoyed this memory capture. Puts me in the mood for some pancakes!
Jennifer -
Nostalgic
Dear Dee,
I can't make up my mind whether this is the reciprocal poem to my "Nanna" poem you told me to expect or not. Either way it is a lovely piece of nostalgia and it is sweet of you to share this memory with us. When I read the title I thought you were off on another bout of 'Travel Longings' or maybe fleeing the country to avoid the penalty for your recently discovered indiscretions. I am relieved by the innocent nature of this poem and applaud it. Love and hugs xxx Hugh.
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