I remember a lifetime ago
There was this one recipe
It was one of the few meals
We cooked that wasn’t from
A bag, box, kit, or microwave —
Taco Salad à la Sullivan

An ancient recipe
From a simpler time
Comfortably nostalgic
Probably made up — or likely
Lifted from the label of a can
My favorite meal as a kid

Taco Salad night was a treat
Something to look forward to
It was the closest we ever got
To a home-cooked, family meal
And yet, all these years later
I can still taste the memories

Lettuce
Fritos chips
Ground meat
Shredded cheese
Dark kidney beans
Catalina dressing

A random combination
That takes me way back
To a childhood memory
Still one of the best meals
I’ve had in my entire life
Taco Salad à la Sullivan.

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A poem by Jason S. Sullivan, 10-06-20