Sunday Dinner

Southern style cooking in the home of many black folk who had a nana , Big Mama, Grandma. Sunday was for Church and a dinner that brought the family to the table. Ole Reverend might even show up.

Collard greens! seasoned and flavored 

with fat back meat, simmers as the savor

of cornbread, biscuits with white gravy

lifts her off of her feet and she rides on

the  glory cloud that arose from the oven

Her face became  bright  as the morning sun 

when she saw all that her hands had made

a pot of gold shimmered in her eyes, mac and cheese

that could raise the dead for one last supper and 

 souls would be saved

In a moment and the twinkling of an eye she vanished 

out of sight, the kitchen is empty and desire draws

a sinner near, he looks around and hear no sound of

her constant humming with cheer,

He lifts his hands to taste and see that the peach 

cobbler is good, She smacks them down with a wooden

spoon from on high, out of my kitchen! the voice rings

from the sky, oh if i could have just a taste, the transgressor

pleas, not until supper she says, now depart from me, ye worker

of iniquity 

On the back porch in a kettle, was where the main course 

would be found, lawd have mercy! she cried with a bite and

a wipe of her crown, fried chicken! golden brown!

She gather all that she had made, with a final stir of the

spoon of wood, she taste and smiles and laughs aloud

and on the first day, it was good

Come sit down at the table children, plenty good room

round hear, with a prayer of grace she said , Lawd bless

this place and all that was made for hungry souls to eat

bless the hands that prepared it and the mouths that

will receive  it, bless those that have not on this day, the 

first day that you made.