This poem is dedicated to one of my dearest childhood friends James Lee Hargreaves (Jimmy) who passed away from cancer a few short years ago. I will forever love you brother……
while traveling down 460
on our way from Chesapeake
to Richmond
at the town of Wakefield
my muse RLF and I
stopped for brunch
at a place our mutual
childhood friend Jimmy
used to pick up
cans of peanuts
for his clients
~ the Virginia Diner
where its outdoor sign
implies things like …..
as far as the peanut goes
in the context of the world
this is the Capital
~ having this nutshell legend
~ on their brochure
when it comes to the
so-called “Nut”
they are number one
and in Virginia
the diner is …..
….. synonymous with
the finest of peanuts
hmmm…..
synonymous with ~ I say
and in no way
out of disrespect
for the rich history of
the lovely Virginia Diner
the history of the “Nut”
technically a legume
may we not forget
or revert back to ….
….. its past history
synonymous with
the slave trade
brought to America by slaves
grown in their gardens
and mainly eaten by them
unless hungry
confederate soldiers
were left no choice
but to eat goober peas
of course a song
would be written
about their exploits
well ….
this lowly “Nut”
like the soldier
would get its time
under the sun
undergo refinement ~
become thought of
as more useful
and grow in its popularity
as the peanut
helped along its journey
ironically
by a former slave
George Washington Carver
all synonymous with
my muse RLF and I
stopping for brunch
at a place our mutual
childhood friend Jimmy
used to pick up
cans of peanuts
for his clients
~ the Virginia Diner
peace out
Image & Words by ~Keith Alan Hamilton~
This Image with Words will be a part of my Slavery in America Image with Words Collection now exhibited in The Urban Individualist Artist Collective, Gallery #219 at Art Works In Richmond, VA.