Papá had a mouth full of sweet teeth
Not a tooth
He liked Folgers instant coffee with
a heaping spoonful of sugar and milk
No tomes café o te vas poner prietita,
He pulled up his long sleeved shirt,
proving it with his farm tanned skin
I didn't care if my skin got dark
I took a sneaky slurp of his hot coffee
before delivering it with a small plate
full of chocolate chip cookies
or a thick slice of banana bread
peach cobbler
Mom's 7-Up pound cake
carrot cake drenched under
a thick coat of
cream cheese icing
pan dulce
cinnamon rolls
On hot summer days
we greeted him with a tall glass
of Coca Cola or iced tea
garnished with lemon
accompanied with a side of sweets
When we had it,
a bowl piled high with
scoops of butter pecan ice
made its way onto his lap,
replacing his straw work hat
We chatted,
changed the channel to Bonanza
or Gunsmoke reruns,
his favorite shows
Replacing his hat,
the signal he'd had his fill,
we collected empty dishes
Rising from his seat,
he thanked us
and waved goodbye
He'd return tomorrow,
his sweet teeth
urging him back
I love this portrait you paint. There’s something about the verse with the list of so many possible sweets that you might deliver with the coffee–it really draws me in. And the line about changing the channel to his favorite tv shows is so sweet, too. I so enjoyed reading this poem.
Nerds Beget Nerds 
Such a sweet story to share about your grandfather. I can picture him with all of his sweets.
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He loved his sweets and we made sure there were plenty for him.
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This remembering made me smile. Food memories are so strong, aren’t they? Especially when they tie us to loved ones.
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Thanks, Chris. I didn’t realize how many food memories I have. Probably cultural, but maybe more common than I realize.
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I love this portrait you paint. There’s something about the verse with the list of so many possible sweets that you might deliver with the coffee–it really draws me in. And the line about changing the channel to his favorite tv shows is so sweet, too. I so enjoyed reading this poem.
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Thank you for reading. We enjoyed treating my grandpa well.
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