First Trip To The Ranch Poem by Tom J. Mariani

I had a lot of questions
Duriing my first trip
I'd seen picutres
Heard stories

I had never been

My uncle's car was loaded down
I'm not sure how many he was expecting
We were carrying enough food
To feed them all

First time I had ever been

Off the main highway
Off the last paved county road
It'd been a while since
The last stretch had been graveled

Slow bumps last leg of the trip

The first to meet us
When we got close
Were the staggering pigs
My uncle was smiling big

For the rest of my first trip

He turned to my aunt
In the front seat
I was in the back
Between lots of beer and boxes of cut meat

We were almost there

'Looks like Delbert's been cookin''
Was all he said
I had no idea 'til years later
Not something they discussed

In front of us kids

Ranch had original wood stove
Recent indoor plumbing
Outhouse still stood at the ready
If needed

For the overflow crowd

Found out years later
Why the pigs were as happy
As the rest of the crowd
They - -pigs that is

Were fed the remaing corn mash

Used to cook the shine
Had enough kick left
For them to greet my uncle
With the good news

On my first trip

Turned out to be
A great weekend
Family reunion
Good times

Had by all