Out With The Old

Time to say good-bye to old friends

every November 15th.

For it is “Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day,”

and the occasion to part

with those precious wrapped gems

shoved at the back of your ice box.

 

So say so long to leftover gray and hairy gravy

from Memorial day,

the Tupperware container

filled with brown, moldy salad

first used on the Fourth of July.

 

Those mushy melons in the fruit bin

can’t even remember buying,

any clear plastic container

that has something inside

so disgusting looking

you can’t bear to even imagine

what it used to be.

 

And what of green lunchmeat,

white bread with those black spots,

or spaghetti that is hard as string?

 

Then comes the moment of greatest challenge

when opening the freezer section,

aluminum foil can hide so much,

but maybe that ham from last Christmas

has seen better days and needs to go.

 

It might be traumatic to suffer this farewell,

yet have courage

the grocery store can provide

a whole new bunch of edible pals.