POETRYBYGINNY ~ THE PEANUT BUTTER CONNECTION

Through the years I have matured,
I feel I have grown up,
I've left childhood things behind me,
And am now a genuine adult.

I've done a lot of this and that,

I've travelled here and there,

I know the ropes; I know the score,

My mind is clear, and I'm aware.

I've met my bills and paid my taxes,
I've held responsible positions,
I feel I am accountable,
And I make competent decisions.

I've had illnesses and surgeries,
A few times I almost died,
I've had joys; I've had sorrows,
And I took them all in stride.

I adore good art and music,
And a shady story, if told right,
But I abhor profanity,
Which is never needed and is trite.

I love my country and my God,
And I will stand with any man,
In defense and in support
Of God's heaven and this land.

By no means, am I perfect,
I have done my share of wrongs,
But I have made an honest effort
To live and love and get along.

I think adulthood does become me,
I have both dignity and pride,
I can hold my head up anywhere,
Without an ounce of shame to hide.

I guess what I am trying to say
Is that I've grown up well from childhood,

And though now I'm old, I can look back
And be glad I had a past so good.

But, as I muse now about my age,
I guess I should confess,
When I was younger, I had hungers
That to this day I still possess.

When my sis and I were still in school,

We had to ride the bus,
And because we lived so far away,
Our Mother packed a lunch for us.

Amongst the goodies she put in,
(Bless her heart - our Mother),
Were sandwiches on plain, white bread,
Spread thick with peanut butter.

Lunchtime was the favorite time,
Of my entire, long school day,
And Mom's peanut butter sandwiches
Made a child's troubles go away.

But I outgrew peanut butter,
As I aged and time moved on,
I did not want the calories ,
And my childish woes were gone.

Then when Mother died and others passed,
I needed to console myself,
And one day at the grocery store,

I saw peanut butter on a shelf.

"Buy me! Buy me!" came the cry,
Why not? I reached up for a jar,

And ever since, I've been convinced
Peanut butter is my caviar.

A soothing balm, a palate pleaser,

A treat that's really neat to eat,

A food with flavor to be savored,

Good for the poor or the elite.

When the good Lord inspired man

To create peanut butter,

I wonder if He had in mind

Childhood memories of His Mother.

I have found it has restored
Much of my childhood security,
And it does not seem to interfere,
With my adult maturity.

I have indulged in many menus,

From simple fares to fine cuisines,

I've eaten at the best chef's boards,

And other places deemed obscene.

I've learned peanut butter's my ambrosia,

That peanut butter is my friend,

And the joy that it gives to me,

I know will never end.

To prove my mature sophistication,

And that a brain still lurks in this old head,
Now my peanut butter is applied
To French Croissants and not to plain, white bread.