
Family Table
A handsome board in 1944
in clan of furniture they called a suite
our walnut table opened up to more
than eight, the matching chairs had padded seats.
In youthful days it served mountains of food
chicken, potatoes, bread, puddings with cream
then listened to us add and sound out words
cut crafts, and doodle pictures of the farm.
At thirty years it wandered from that place
a vagabond to circumstance it roamed.
It’s old and squeaky now, masks age with lace
lives near sis china cupboard in our home.
Content, I hope, though it has parted ways
with most of clan — like families these days.
So very nice! My mother had black walnut furniture.
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Nothing like vintage beauty! your poem is rich with nostalgia, bringing many memories of my own childhood. I like ‘masks age with lace’:) and ‘a vagabond to circumstance it roamed’. the photo begs us to sit and hear the music of clinking china and silver and laughter…
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Thank you, Ellen and Janet! Our house has quite a few of those vintage pieces. I love that old table, except for the squeak.
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