“We are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas time.”
– Laura Ingalls Wilder
.
This day’s surprise has to do with Christmas’ past time: baking cookies and bars for family and friends. Click on the symbol below and you will be led to your surprise!
When I was a child, my mother would bake batches of different types of cookies and bars, and deliver boxes of them to friends, family and neighbors. I don’t know how many different types she made, but I had my favorites as you will see in this poem. During the holiday season, she would wake up at 4:00am and bake one batch after another until the evening hours. Her kitchen was her fortress and her cookies were like gold. No one was allowed in the kitchen nor touch her cookies before they were sorted and distributed to whoever wanted them for the holidays. And even though she saved a large part for me, my father and brother, especially my favorites, I still had that craving to eat a cookie or two- especially if they came right out of the oven. And my mischievousness resulted in the dragon’s wrath, as you will see in this poem. Enjoy! 🙂
.
Verse 1: As a Five-Year Old
When I was five years old
My dad was working away
From my mom in the kitchen I was told
I’m busy! Go away!
.
The kitchen was filled with the smell of cookies
It was the smell of M&Ms, my favorite of them all.
Then came the sound of a slam by Mom with lots of mookies
The powdered white flour, the cookie dough and all
And very hungry I became
But I knew I had to wait.
.
30 minutes later, the M&M Cookies were out
And no more I could hold out
On the table on cookie sheets they were laying
And the first cookie I started slaying.
Then a voice of rage came from behind me with a clang
And I knew my crime would end with a bang
With a sound of her voice, so loud and so clear
“Get Out of My Christmas Cookies!”
.
*****
.
Verse 2: As a Ten-Year Old
When I was ten years old
My dad was still working away
From my mom in the kitchen I was told
I’m busy! Go away!
.
The kitchen was filled with the smell of cookies
It was the smell of Grandma’s Hershey’s Kisses, which was a definite win.
Then came the sound of a screech and a roll by Mom with lots of mookies
With a rolling pin on the cookie dough and on top, a kisses pin
And very hungry I became
But I knew I had to wait.
.
30 minutes later, the Hershey’s Kisses were out
And no more I could hold out
On the table on cookie sheets, the Kisses were laying
And the first cookie I started slaying.
Then a voice of rage came from the living room
And I knew my crime would end with a boom
With a sound of her voice, so loud and so clear
“Get Out of My Christmas Cookies!”
.
*****
.
Verse 3: As a 15-year Old:
When I was fifteen years old
With Barbie my dad had moved away
From my mom in the kitchen I was told
I’m busy! Go away!
.
The kitchen was filled with the smell of cookies
It was the smell of Mom’s molasses, something that kick some asses.
Then came the sound of clops on the board by Mom with lots of mookies
They were cookie cutters that kicked some asses in the dough of molasses
And very hungry I became
But I knew I had to wait.
.
30 minutes later, the molasses were out
And no more I could hold out
On the table on the porch, the molasses were laying
And the first cookie I started slaying.
Then a voice of rage came from across the house
And I knew I would be as dead as a mouse
With a sound of her voice, so loud and so clear
“Get Out of My Christmas Cookies!”
.
*****
.
Verse 4: As a 20-year Old
When I was twenty years old
My dad having passed away
From my mom in the kitchen I was told
Come Son, let’s bake away.
.
The kitchen was filled with the smell of cookies
It was the smell of Mom’s candy canes that kept us sane
Then came the crushing sound on the board by Mom with lots of mookies
That was the sound of a hammer crushing candy canes
And very hungry I became
But I knew I had to wait.
.
30 minutes later, the candy cane sugar cookies were out
And no more I could hold out
On the table in the kitchen, the canes were laying
And the first cookie I started slaying.
Then a voice of kindness came nearby
Her voice I could not come by
With a sound of her voice, so loud and so clear
“Enjoying My Christmas Cookies?”
.
*****
.
Verse 5: As a 25-year Old
When I was twenty-five years old
My mom had passed away.
To my wife and first-born child I told
Come, shall we bake away?
.
The kitchen was filled with the smell of cookies
It was the smell of my wife’s gingerbread, I knew I wanted more
Then came rolling, the clopping and the sprinkles galore
They were creating a gingerbread man with lots of mookies
And very hungry I became
But I knew I had to wait.
.
30 minutes later, the gingerbread man was out
And no more I could hold out
On the table in the kitchen, the man was laying
And just before I started slaying,
A voice of reason came about
I knew in a minute I had to go out
With a sound of her voice, so loud and so clear
“Please keep your hands off my gingerbread cookie.”
.
*****
.
My disclaimer:
For the record, both my parents are alive and well and still together after almost 50 years, but this one was for my mom to thank her for introducing me to her kitchen and the art of baking over Christmas.
THE FLENSBURG FILES 