Carolina Memories
Fluffy biscuits, salty ham,
sweet potatoes, black-eyed peas,
ribs, hush puppies, damson jam,
buttered grits, pimento cheese,
coleslaw, barbecue, sweet tea,
crisp fried chicken, collard greens,
banana pudding, hominy,
ambrosia, caramel cake, green beans
with ham hocks, cornbread, pecan pie,
and deep-fried okra were among
the umpteen scrumptious reasons why
my Southern grandparents died so young.
Susan McLean‘s latest poetry book is Daylight Losing Time (Able Muse Press). Her poems have recently appeared in Rattle‘s Poets Respond, Snakeskin, and Crab Orchard Review.