In and out
In and out
All day they come to shoot the breeze
Aunties uncles mommas
Cousins first second third
All there for Nanny’s pot
Fill bowls
Beer bottles roll
Don’t mess up Nanny’s floor boy
Sitting in the corner
Hear the words
Learning them
Front porch
Back garden
Stay away from that cellar girl
Smell of bootleg wine
Pickled vegetables
Beet cabbage tomatoes
Granddaddy’s garden filling the yard
Peaches stay out that dirt
Inside that cookie jar off brand sweet treats
Lemon chocolate spit back vanilla
Another skillet workin’
Dishes already clean
Mismatch set fills the draw
Shiny ones in the glass case in the dining room
Don’t smudge the glass
Sit on yo ass and stop running ‘round chil’
Out to granddaddy’s porch to the
Swing rocking chair sliding chair
Back and forth back and forth
Jump off and back inside
Pass the living room
Don’t sit down, that rooms not for you
Under the dining room table
Chandelier shaking
Each chair of 12 empty
Only for special times
Stereo playing old old songs
‘Nel dinner time
Sit at the kitchen table
Pantry shut tight
Spices spices
Stove covered in delectables
Chilly spaghetti grilled cheese green beans greens stewed tomatoes black eye peas
Watch cars park outside the rod iron screen
Auntie’s uncles’ mommas
Cousins first second third
Let the fest begin
Uncles and big boy cousins in the back door
Grab food and go out to the porch in the front
Ladies gather to fill platters
Cakes pulled off the top of the ice box
Cupcakes no icing ‘nalla cake pineapple upside down banana puddin’
Settle down y’all
Everyone in their place