Tabatha Yeatts, our Poetry Friday hostess today at The Opposite of Indifference asked around to see if anyone else would be interested in using this special day as a prompt for their Poetry Friday post.
I'm in! So to celebrate this day, here is my Macaroni and Cheese poem.
I am gluten sensitive, and need to maintain low carb, so this is not my meal of choice anymore... but it is good stuff, and I remember it fondly!
Here's an interesting One Pot Mac and Cheese recipe to try. Looks easy and yummy. I've done a one pot spaghetti that came out great. I might try this with a gluten free sauce and pasta sometime when I'm feeling like I can add a carb or two! (sorry for the ad!) If you wait through another ad you can see a Wafer Tater Tot Cheese and Bacon Sandwich...not Mac and Cheese, but I think I may have to do this someday! When is National Tater Tot Day?
Here's my tribute to the meal of the day, jumping rope, and Mom's rules:
Ma Macaroni's Warning (a cautionary tale)
“Keep your elbows off the table,”
Ma Macaroni said.
“For that’s the day, I’m sad to say,
That you’ll be boiled and dead.
They’ll bury you in cheese sauce
With other elbow fellows
And bake you as a casserole
Until you’re golden yellow.
Then one by one and fork by fork
They’ll eat your hollowed hide,
And there’ll be nothing left of you!"
Ma Macaroni cried.
“Heed my warning, pasta,
No elbows on the table,
Or you’ll be in hot water
As dear Mabel sets the table!”
But then one day they all forgot
Ma Macaroni's law,
For pasta has such little sense
(Indeed their major flaw);
"Is it almost time to eat?
I set the table fast!
Is the pasta ready?"
Miss Mabel sweetly asked.
"It's ready! Come and eat!" Mom called,
Putting elbows on the table.
"Please, pass the cheesy pasta!"
Was the cheer from dear Miss Mabel.
Now there are no more elbows
on the table or a dish:
Tomorrow is another day
What's the rule for fish?
It has to do with fires,
And avoiding frying pans -
But that is for another day
And some old man named Dan.
by Donna JT Smith, 2017
More macaroni and cheese, please!
References:
Jump rope chant:
Mabel, Mabel, Set the table
Don't forget the salt and pepper!
(lots of versions... but this is the one we said)
Nursery Rhyme:
Dan, Dan, the fine old man,
Washed his face in the frying pan,
Combed his hair with the leg of the chair,
Dan, Dan, the fine old man.
Please, please, make sure you have checked in at Tabatha's to see her poetic contribution today, AND all the other macaroni maniacs' commemorations, and the contributions of those who chose another poem for today. You won't be disappointed!
I like that you've put the references, which had whizzed straight over my head. I like that you've made a whole story out of the elbows on the table.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't sure if those would be familiar to everyone, especially anyone younger than I!
DeleteI had to laugh about pasta's major (dare I say fatal?) flaw. They had one thing to remember, just ONE. Ah well, Miss Mabel was pretty happy about it. :-)
ReplyDeleteSilly pasta! Their loss, Mabel's gain!
DeleteYes, what Tabatha said. They are so hollow, which is even more tragic than being shallow.
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding the Dan Dan rhyme. I could only remember bits of it...I was just heading for Google when I scrolled down.
I wondered if I should have sneaked in "out of the frying pan into the fire" as a reference too.... but I guess this can suffice!
DeleteOh Ma Macaroni -- her voice sounds familiar... and yay for incorporating/expanding these jump rope rhymes! So many connections. Thank you! xo
ReplyDeleteThis was the poem
Deletethat just kept goin'!
Each time I thought I was done, another line or idea would pop into my head. Fun but I did have some other things to do....
What fun, Donna! I'm glad that you added those references, too - I remembered snatches, or thought I remembered snatches.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific and unique point-of-view, Donna! Those poor elbows with their hollowed hide...if only they had listened to Ma Macaroni!
ReplyDeleteWonderful Donna, loved this tale of woe for our elbow friends, lovely, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is most excellent fun, Donna--clever and silly and cautionary indeed!
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't know the Bruce Springsteen version, but the folk song I sand as a kid went like this:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.com/search?q=washed+his+face+in+a+frying+pan+lyrics&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
Oh, Ma Macaroni has some wise words!Well done integrating those references into the poem! :)
ReplyDeleteHa! Poor pasta. What a fun take on the day's theme, Donna - thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete"Elbows off the table..."
ReplyDeleteMy laugh escaped & surprised the cat, Donna.
This is a truly talented telling of a never-told tale.
You are the Mother of Macaroni Ballad Invention.
(I like the nursery rhyme & jump rope notes, too...)
This was a really fun post, Donna!
ReplyDeleteMa Mac has her hands full! Fun stuff, Donna.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun poem! And thank you for including the references. The Mabel one is new to me.
ReplyDeleteSo clever! I love the rule for fish!
ReplyDelete