About The Good Old Days...

Some supper-nights are more chatter-y than others; 

lots of laughter at tonight's meal reminded me to Cherish

It takes more than reviving old-fashioned cake recipes (like Queen Elizabeth cake) 

and pies (like shoofly pie)

to bring back the good-old-days, but we kitcheneers sometimes try

because we never know what recreating nostalgic flavours will create;

perhaps some youngster's good-old-day memories!

Maybe for my family it will be something like tonight's roasted veggies and chili!

More this year than ever before have I heard (sometimes from my own mouth)

'I miss the old normal' or

'I miss the good, old days'

Although we cannot bring back ‘good, old days’ sweetened by years 

Where, smoothed beneath the hand of time its grindstone disappears 

We ought to strive to keep alive the essence of its How 

And serve it up in ways that seem quite ordinary now 

The gold gong in yon belfry has not changed since time began 

The length and breadth of day to day the same since Adam’s clan 

And love, in spite of all the flaws and faux pas of people 

Is still the Greatest Commandment no progress can annul 

We cannot toss a lure into the deep and draw to shore 

Like a big bass, walleye or pike, those dear-old-days of yore 

But we can seek to emulate the impressions they wove 

And make, even in modern days some good-old-days to love 

Because it is life’s simple things that never lose their charm 

The joy a dinner hour brings where homes are welcome-warm 

And we use words like God, mom, dad, I’m sorry, try again 

Until these days don’t seem so bad that no good can remain 

How common seem the threads that weave mementos, held most dear 

Where echoes waft in pictures that grow more perfect each year 

Because, Time’s tender touch brushes blemishes from Past’s art 

To make the ‘good old days’ a priceless treasure of the heart 

© Janet Martin