Aunt Anna's Strawberries

Hand picked and delivered the same day,
Beautiful, firm, vine ripened strawberries,
packed lovingly in quart berry boxes,

placed carefully, gently nestled together
with the nicest berries on the bottom.
Only perfect berries put in each box.

Bruised, discolored, imperfect set aside,
to be eaten by family, not for customers.
The boxes placed in a berry box tray.

Then delivered to summer residents.
She carried them into their kitchens,
placed the boxes on the kitchen table.

One "lady" of the house with nose up,
 and haughty voice remarked,
"the berries look nice, but I know what

you do, pack them in so it looks full
with a few nice ones on top"
Anna turned them out on the table

so the "lady" could see, the nicest berries
had been on the bottom, not on top.
Then Anna cordially said, "Get them all

back in the box and they are yours free."
Of course the "lady" could not,
and never again a critical word.

Lloyd H. Littlefield 2006 03 30