A Night to Remember

I was blessed to enjoy a lovely day for my 45th birthday party. I covered the tables with lavender cloths and yellow folded napkins. I placed a flower bulb wrapped in tuille and tied with a matching bow as a favor above each napkin. The florist created lavish floral arrangements in purple and yellow for each table. The weather was flawless, warm, but not hot, and very little wind. The garden was in full bloom and the harpist was positioned in one corner. Her melodious tunes greeted guest as they arrived. There were lanterns and tiki torches and luminaries to give light to the evenings festivities. The buffet line was set up under the carraige port. We served beef brisket, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, greens (mustard, collard, and turnip) and dinner rolls. For dessert there was peach cobbler and yellow cake. There was an area in the back of the garden under an archway where I read my poetry to an attentive audience. A gift of sorts to my Dear Readers, one of my poems:


The Old Folks Usta Say

God, I still miss her
The way she used to preface her verbiage
With the phrase " you know, the old folks usta say"

As if that confirmed the veracity of the matter
Old folks too long dead to be disputed
Neither can they be confirmed by fact
- that odd propensity of the living

She could always conjure up the borrowed wisdom
Of omnipotent knowing
Gifted by the 'old folks' as witnesses
To the vast folly of humanity

Now settled comfortably
She takes her rightful place among them
And whispers in my ear
The priceless gift
Of an opportune quote