When the Preacher Comes to Dinner..........a poem

Many many years ago when I was just a lad

I recall the simple life, and the pleasant times we had

Thanksgiving Day especially, when church would let out soon

There'd be that Sunday dinner, that very afternoon

I remember one Thanksgiving, and it was understood

Preacher's comin' for dinner, so all you kids be good

We smelled that turkey all day long, the pies and coffee cake

Mama's homemade biscuits, and everything else she'd bake

We all helped set the table, the Preacher came at four

We all sat down together, and I was hungry fer shore

For just a slice of turkey, I'd surely have walked a mile

But the Preacher he just sat there, and visited awhile

He rambled on 'bout this & that, and you could smell that dressing

I thought he'd talk forever, when finally came the blessing

He blessed our home and family, he blessed the wine and meat

My belly growled and rumbled, 'cause I was wantin' to eat

He blessed the turkey & gravy, the cranberry sauce & yam

He blessed the corn and black-eyed peas and then he blessed the ham

He blessed the beets and taters, he blessed the biscuits too

My nose was only inches away from Mama's homemade stew

He blessed the deacons, blessed the church and the entire congregation

He blessed our town, blessed the state and then he blessed the nation

The smell of food was getting me, my mouth began to drool

As he blessed O'Leary's newborn calf and Cousin Bessie's mule

My hunger pains were killin' me, to my fork I held on tight

He blessed the dog, he blessed the cat and everything else in sight

If I'd ever been so hungry, I couldn't remember when

But I breathed a sigh of pure relief, when he finally said "Amen"

I picked out some of everything and heaped it on my plate

And that Thanksgiving meal was the best I ever ate

But one thing I was sure of, I'd never get no thinner

If I had to eat at OUR house.......when the Preacher comes to dinner.

................Happy Thanksgiving...........