Thanksgiving

Thanks
by W. S. Merwin
Listen with the night falling we are saying thank you we are stopping on the bridges to bow from the railings we are running out of the glass rooms with our mouths full of food to look at the sky and say thank you we are standing by the water thanking it smiling by the windows looking out in our directions back from a series of hospitals back from a mugging after funerals we are saying thank you after the news of the dead whether or not we knew them we are saying thank you over telephones we are saying thank you in doorways and in the backs of cars and in elevators remembering wars and the police at the door and the beatings on stairs we are saying thank you in the banks we are saying thank you in the faces of the officials and the rich and of all who will never change we go on saying thank you thank you with the animals dying around us our lost feelings we are saying thank you with the forests falling faster than the minutes of our lives we are saying thank you with the words going out like cells of a brain with the cities growing over us we are saying thank you faster and faster with nobody listening we are saying thank you we are saying thank you and waving dark though it is

Thanksgiving is a day to spend with family and a day to give thanks (not to mention a day to watch football).  I am blessed to have fabulous friends and family.  It is easy to ignore those who live without on a day of festivity and feasting.   Earlier today during one of the football games, the half time show was a kick off for the Red Kettle Campaign.  This evening I watched those giving to others on the news.  My favorite story was the lady who cooked a Thanksgiving meal for the Occupy Minnesota.   I hope that I remember and advocate for others during this holiday season.  After all it's the thanks and the giving.  Happy Thanksgiving.