Pre-Seder

The chicken soup and matzoh balls
Are ready for the pot.
The hard-boiled eggs are in the fridge.
(We never eat them hot.)

The items for the Seder plate
All wait for their debut,
With my homemade charoses.
(Google if you have no clue.)

The chicken cutlets, farfel-topped 
And stuffing made from same
Will share the table with some veggies,
Sautéed to acclaim.

Of course, there’ll be gefilte fish
With horseradish (so hot!)
And grape juice or sweet Kosher wine,
Which really hits the spot.

With home-baked brownies and 
Some cookies vying for dessert
Along with lotsa matzoh,
There’s an “Oy, I’m stuffed!” alert.

But all the food is not, to me,
The most important part -
It’s sharing these traditions with
Those closest to my heart.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2021

Poem

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Wolf Avatar
March 29, 2021 at 9:11 PM
Your words are sweeter than the gefilte, ilene. Hope you've had nice seders, and thanks for penning a FAVE for me! Happy Passover, Gershon
Devonshire Avatar
March 28, 2021 at 3:09 PM
Surely, it's the companionship and not the food that are most important. Still, it sounds like you enjoyed some great feasts! Thank you for sharing these memories with us. Best wishes, Carolyn
Pettit Avatar
March 27, 2021 at 5:57 PM
Everything is described so well in this write. I can just see Charlton Heston, Yvonne DeCarlo, and the others sitting together for the very first Seder in "The Ten Commandments"!
Allison Avatar
March 27, 2021 at 3:17 PM
oh Ilene I so loved this time of year when i was a private nanny - I adored the traditions and the food... you have brought back so many memories:-) hugs Jan xx
Cunningham Avatar
March 27, 2021 at 12:46 PM
Your right Ilene, as nice as the food is its who you share it with that counts. Tom
Leffanta Avatar
March 27, 2021 at 12:01 PM
Another winner! Your, "Google if you have no clue" line fits like the missing piece to a puzzle! Well done, Ilene! Aloha! Rico
Hankins Avatar
March 27, 2021 at 11:38 AM
Ilene, your poem reminded me of several Seders I shared with Jewish friends over the years. It's a rich, meaningful tradition, and I always enjoyed it, although I'm not Jewish. Wonderful poem describing your tradition.
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