rogue |rōg|
noun
1 a dishonest or unprincipled man : you are a rogue and an embezzler.
• a person whose behavior one disapproves of but who is nonetheless likable or attractive (often used as a playful term of reproof) : Cenzo, you old rogue!
2 [usu. as adj. ] an elephant or other large wild animal driven away or living apart from the herd and having savage or destructive tendencies : a rogue elephant.
• a person or thing that behaves in an aberrant, faulty, or unpredictable way
No, I’m not talking about Sarah Palin’s new book. I’m talking about not being afraid to do something different than it’s traditionally been done. Going rogue is typically thought of as a bad thing…but it doesn’t have to be.
Take this poem, The Calf Path by Sam Walter Foss, for example:
One day, through the primeval wood,
A calf walked home, as good calves should;
But made a trail all bent askew,
A crooked trail, as all calves do.Since then three hundred years have fled,
And, I infer, the calf is dead.
But still he left behind his trail,
And thereby hangs my moral tale.The trail was taken up next day
By a lone dog that passed that way;
And then a wise bellwether sheep
Pursued the trail o’er vale and steep,
And drew the flock behind him, too,
As good bellwethers always do.And from that day, o’er hill and glade,
Through those old woods a path was made,
And many men wound in and out,
And dodged and turned and bent about,
And uttered words of righteous wrath
Because ’twas such a crooked path;
But still they followed — do not laugh —
The first migrations of that calf,
And through this winding wood-way stalked
Because he wobbled when he walked.This forest path became a lane,
That bent, and turned, and turned again.
This crooked lane became a road,
Where many a poor horse with his load
Toiled on beneath the burning sun,
And traveled some three miles in one.
And thus a century and a half
They trod the footsteps of that calf.The years passed on in swiftness fleet.
The road became a village street,
And this, before men were aware,
A city’s crowded thoroughfare,
And soon the central street was this
Of a renowned metropolis;
And men two centuries and a half
Trod in the footsteps of that calf.Each day a hundred thousand rout
Followed that zigzag calf about,
And o’er his crooked journey went
The traffic of a continent.
A hundred thousand men were led
By one calf near three centuries dead.
They follow still his crooked way,
And lose one hundred years a day,
For thus such reverence is lent
To well-established precedent.A moral lesson this might teach
Were I ordained and called to preach;
For men are prone to go it blind
Along the calf-paths of the mind,
And work away from sun to sun
To do what other men have done.
They follow in the beaten track,
And out and in, and forth and back,
And still their devious course pursue,
To keep the path that others do.They keep the path a sacred groove,
Along which all their lives they move;
But how the wise old wood-gods laugh,
Who saw the first primeval calf!
Ah, many things this tale might teach —
But I am not ordained to preach.
Or take these Turkey legs for example:
Tradition would have none of it. Tradition would say that you’ve got to bake a 30lb yard bird at 700 degrees for 9 hours, or just long enough to create a Turkey-shaped sawdust formation that no one really wants to eat except as a vehicle for Grandma’s homemade gravy.
Maybe you’re good at roasting a Turkey. Few are, and to those who are successful - I applaud you.
Some of you suck at roasting whole Turkeys. You just stink at it. It’s time to admit it and veer off the calf path into the land of deliciousness. Roast Turkey Legs instead.
* Rub them down with herbs, spices, and olive oil
* Sear them on all sides for a minute or two to create a nice crust
* Fill roasting pan with a few cups of Chicken stock, a couple of sticks of Butter, and herbs/spices
* Roast Turkey Legs in the oven @ 350 degrees for 1 and a half to 2 hours
* Experience Turkey Bliss…Viking-Style
Almost everyone wants the legs anyways, but for the white meat snobs you can add in a few Turkey breasts. Separate legs and breasts are available at almost all grocery stores this time of year.
Stop bowing down to tradition. It’s harmful to your creative health.
22 Comments
Or you could just fry the Turkey.
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The turkey legs - nah. The poem…what a testament to our natural, sinful mindset. Thanks for sharing it.
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I highly recommend you get a smoker barrel/stack/system/device and smoke your turkey (or pork loin, salmon, beef, etc). It’ll knock your socks off and blow all other turkeys of thanksgiving past out of the water.
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1. Those turkey legs look amazingly good.
2. I want to name our daughter (if we have one) Rogue but I’m afraid it will be taken in the wrong manner. I just love the name!
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LOVE the poem!
And those turkey legs…thanks for making me practically drool on my desk. Wow…
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That’s stinkin awesome!
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Turkey legs are my favorite part of the bird, so this would totally work for me…except for making turkey & cranberry sandwiches the next day - that requires white meat. lol
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I like the idea of turkey legs for T-giving. Or, you can do like me and get others to do the cooking. We’ll have turkey dinners both saturday and sunday. On thursday, I’m making homemade soup!
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Ok, I’m not much of a turkey leg person. That’s because I am one of those fabulous 30 lb. turkey roasters. *blush* I’m all about tradition, but when I married into my husband’s family, I found tradition turned on its head. You’re right. We should all go rogue sometime. This year, I’m learning how to make cranberry relish from my mother-in-law. In her kitchen. She’s letting me have her recipe AND teaching me personally. That, for her, is totally rogue. And I thank God for it.
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Well, at least you’re up front with calling out our suckyness. Ann and I have been buying turkeys from Sullivan’s. They kill it and prep it the day before Thanksgiving. They are the juiciest and best tasting turkeys that I’ve ever had.
Oh, and I tried to read the poem, but gave up three lines in.
Happy Thanksgiving Bro!
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Ah ha I thought… there really is a truth to how cow paths meander. We always joke over here in Clermont county that Clough Pike is one of the original paved cow paths. Any one familiar with the entire length will agree. I loved the poem.
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Turkey legs? OK. But I’m pretty good at roasting a whole turkey, and I love what it does to the stuffing inside…
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Oh.my.word. This is enough to bring me off my chair.
I mean really “MOST of us want to eat the legs anyway”?!?!?!?!
Okay, I guess you didn’t convert me this time. 
That’s okay though, each to their own.
Have you tried brining the turkey? My dh who thought he only liked the dark meat - now battles for the white…there is nothing like it.
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So the Sarah Palin book title is a mere coincidence?!
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Carolyn #13 hit it. Brining is the way to go. You’ll never go back!
Great poem, btw.
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Yuuuuuuuuuuum!!!
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Cool post, poem and legs. #4 Jenn go ahead and name your girl Rogue, always like it too but no girl babies in our family.
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I’m a white turkey meat person myself; don’t like the legs. But, I have to admit, those legs look awesome in that pan. I’d like to veer from tradition in terms of the holiday meals, but hubby is the traditionalist. He cooks the meal and makes way too much food for three people. Oy…
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BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO! On the poem & the turkey & the inspiration to think out of the box. You truly have made my day………
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oh man!!! I love that poem. powerful…you have no idea (I mean how could you)what that means to me.
Happy Thanksgiving, thanks for all you give.
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Loved the poem, I was smitten well before line three. I live in New England and most of our roads here are layed out that way and all of the prettiest rides are on those roads. It’s nice for me to have a running dialogue of poetry to enjoy as I drive upon them.
I love the turkey leg idea. Our newly married young folk in the family hosted their first turkey dinner and it was a raging success. I’m not fond of turkey, but those kids can cook a turkey and will probably be brining one next year. They are in love and both like to cook. Us oldsters like all of that!
Got here by way of Ree, no surprise, but have you bookmarked as well. I’m not tied to any religion but a majority of my friends and family are ordained clergy. We keep each other either sane or challenged, most of the time. I guess.
I enjoy reading your blog and will attempt to comment more.
Blessings on you and yours as you enter into the crazy time of your church year.
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We had lasagna for Thanksgiving.
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