Canning Jars Poem by Charlie Parant

packing the pantry
when cupboards were filled
with jars of tomatoes
and beans that were dilled

once a key player
in the family’s survival
patiently waiting
the home food revival

stashed away in the basement
all but forgotten
as now meals are made
with the push of a button

sitting for years
in the cobwebs and dust
the metal wire bails
beginning to rust

pulled from the cellar
or bought at yard sales
gather the lids
and tighten the bails

called into service
once more from the past
as food now again
is preserved under glass

a hot water bath
to ensure a good seal
holding the contents
for a mid-winter meal