The h2g2 Poem
Created | Updated Apr 17, 2004
Easter without a Hat
As Easter's go, it wasn't the worst I've ever had.
But it was the first one without a hat.
It's not like I didn't already have a hat.
I could have worn one if I'd wanted.
There were two or three on the shelf in my closet.
It's not even that I wanted to wear a hat on Easter Sunday.
Hats were no longer required.
Hats were passé.
Hats were OUT!
Easter morning began with Sunrise Service at church.
My older sister was in the choir.
She had been practicing her solo for days.
She trilled.
She chirped.
She was insufferable.
I was not allowed to sing.
'My God! You're awful!' she would say.
I helped make the pancakes for the church breakfast.
Dad said that the folks came for my pancakes, not Sis's music.
I suppose they came for both.
There were only two or three hats in the crowd.
We had fun that day.
My baby brother was in the terrible twos and old enough to hunt eggs.
I boiled.
I dyed.
I decorated.
The purple ones were my favourites, a preference shared by my beagle,
Herkimer.
Old Herk was better at finding the eggs than my brother.
Of course there were Easter baskets overflowing with candy.
I pretended to be annoyed that Mom thought I still needed a basket.
I was fourteen, after all.
I'm too old.
I feel silly.
Stay away from my chocolate rabbit!
The table was beautiful.
Dad cut a big bunch of lilacs for the centrepiece.
Mom used Grandma's hand crocheted tablecloth and the good dishes.
Easter dinner was the same as ever.
There was baked ham, sweet potatoes, devilled eggs and Mom's homemade rolls slathered with butter.
And Mom's extra special holiday coleslaw.
She shredded.
She chopped.
She mixed.
For dessert there was strawberry shortcake and cupcakes decorated like
Easter baskets.
We always argued over the cupcakes.
Mom and I wanted carrot cake.
Everyone else wanted chocolate.
We had carrot cake.
As Easters go, it wasn't the worst I've ever had.
But it was the first one without a hat.
