POEM - Call of the Taco Salad

The presence of the woven wood bowl

Meant one of two things

We were popping popcorn

Or it was taco salad for dinner

More often it was taco salad

A dish filled with satisfaction

A dish known to trigger a chain reaction

A theoretical impossibility

That occurred with eerie regularity

It was a given in my family

That once this dish was prepared

A psychic link was activated

Between us and my uncle’s family

And without ever a word of invitation

They would miraculously appear

I have tried to recreate the phenomenon

Hoping that it would generate visitors

That the right combination

Would draw the unsuspecting

On a journey to our door

To share hospitality and sociality

My experiments have born no fruit

For years I thought something was missing

I had become expert at picking ingredients

The nice, crisp head of lettuce

Expertly seasoned ground beef

Sliced olives and dark red kidney beans

Perfectly ripe avocados

A healthy accent of grated cheddar

And I even would include the tomatoes

Of course I would never forget

Everyone’s favorite ingredient

Doritos corn chips

Nacho flavored these days

Which I thought might be the key

Part of the mystery of what was wrong

But then one day hope was restored

The retro fad had come to my aid

The Doritos Taco flavor returned

It made a big difference

Completed the taste

Utterly failed to generate visitors

I still love this meal

Even able to get my fill

Now that I am older

Now that I can make all that I want

Now that last minute visitors

Have ceased invading

Effectively consuming the food

That should have been my thirds

In the end I’m glad it doesn't work

I’m pretty sure I know why

I even called my mom the other day

Told her to take my name off the old wood bowl

Give it to one of my siblings

Who doesn't like taco salad

As much as I do!