Blonde on the Prairie: All People Are Needy

November 16, 2012

Out on the prairie my Husband and me.
Are stuck in a our cabin with a very urgent plea.
We have no place to go –not family at least.
To sit and enjoy a good turkey feast.

Now truth be told we’re really quite quirky.
So you shant put it past us that we’d eat something other than turkey.
Pizza Dave makes a frozen pepperoni to boast.
And it’s not beyond me to just eat some garlic toast.

My burly husband deserves something much more inviting.
We wish a church was serving food-it would be well worth the tithing.
Those church ladies can cook this is for certain.
Denomination doesn’t matter when you got good food a’lurk’in!

Catholics make good cupcakes and Lutherans great bars.
Baptists and the Nazarene take yummies out of jars.
The Assembly of God-now those women can cook!
And as an added bonus they share scripture from The Book.

How inviting it would be this Thanksgiving we are lonely-
If a progressive dinner was had for the downtrodden and hungry.
We’d begin in the basement of Dazey Assembly of God,
We’d give thanks and dig in and maybe eat some cod.

From there we could drive over to Zion Lutheran in Oriska.
With any luck from above they’d serve us some lefse!
Our last name is Ingstad and so that makes us Norwegian.
We’d finish up there and head to the American Legion.

I’m not sure they’re open on a day like Thanksgiving
But if they’d make an exception then we could go on living.
The Legion is not a church but their deeds are as good.
So why not include them in our scavenge for food?

So let’s take a head count so not to lose track.
Me, that husband of mine and soldiers from Iraq,
Afghanistan, Germany, Korea and Vietnam.
Everyone is welcome to get their Thanksgiving feast on.

We’ll car pool together as we arrive at St. Cates.
Please let them have dessert for Heaven sakes.
Churches united to feed us and any.
Being lonely on a holiday can happen to many.

We are a couple of two but admit to being lonely-
You’re surprised to read that I’m guessing and groaning.
The good news is our perspective is strong.
And to beg for food would be selfish and wrong.

We have more than plenty to afford a perfect meal.
But it’s just not the same without humans we feel.
To sit at the “big kids table” and share funny stories.
And listen to laughter from all the year’s glories.

Don’t worry about us – this poem was to remind-
To never overlook and always be kind.
Not everyone looks poor, or lonely or down.
Those who smile can sometimes hide frowns.

Open your doors – for all people are needy.
I don’t mean monetarily or any way greedy.
We all need companionship, socializing and to matter.
So why not fix that simply with a yummy cake batter?

I’ll bring the ingredients if you’ll turn on your oven.
We’ll gather together for some fun frosting loving.
We’ll give thanks as a community of people together
On a day when giving thanks really does matter.

Give thanks for your family, your home and your food.
Be grateful and aware of all that is good.
I’ve delighted in writing to all through the years.
Now-if you have any left over turkey, please call me. It doesn’t rhyme but I’ll slack on my poetry writing rules if it means a real, home-cooked, Thanksgiving meal! And remember, we’re not coming alone. I invited the veterans. Let them sit with you. We’ll gladly sit at the little kids table. And we should invite all the Native Americans too. After all, most of us are sitting on their land anyway. What kind of Pilgrims are we?

Love to all – and to all a thankful night!

Ingstad lives on the prairie near Valley City and writes this column for the Times-Record.