Happy Thanksgiving Poems 2024
Miracles
Giannina Braschi, UNITED STATES OF BANANA
—There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed in your philosophy.
—Like what?
—Like miracles—like changes of power—like changes in climate—like political climates collapsing like polar ice caps—like the dungeon becoming the crown and the crown the dungeon—like not paying attention to bullies—like superpowers running out of fuel—like finding oil in the dungeon of liberty—like the dungeon of liberty becoming a gold mine—like useless poets changing the way the world thinks and sings—like a voice coming out of the dungeon—a useless voice that has something to say but doesn’t know how to market it—like finding yourself for the first time happy—even though you’re in prison. Like finding camaraderie and solidarity among friends you never thought could be your friends. Like understanding the other—not loving the other—but putting yourself in the shoes of the other—not to take their position—not to steal what the other has—but to feel what the other feels—to appreciate his thoughts. Not to be ironic—clever—smart—but to be profound—not to be the boss who puts everybody down—but to be the leader of a chorus of voices—each and every single one of them having their own point of view—like saying—stop being a predicate and become a subject.
Thanksgiving Blessings
This post is shared from USA TODAY.
With fall in full swing, what better way to enjoy sweater weather, the grand finale of leaves and all things pumpkin spice than diving in to some thanksgiving poems to get you in the mood for the season?To help get you started, we’ve gathered a list of verses and quotes that celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving — which, like the name implies, is all about thankfulness. These poems will help direct your thoughts to the goodness around you and offer a little boost in the gratitude department. Perfect for sharing at the Thanksgiving table or reading on your own, these rhymes and verses range from reflections on the power of gathering together to delightful descriptions of food that may fill your plate on Turkey Day. Feel free to use one as a Thanksgiving greeting, or find inspiration from these thoughtful (and sometimes funny) poems in composing a social media caption for all the photos you’ll undoubtedly post of the big day on Instagram. However you choose to enjoy these meaningful sentiments this year, they’re sure to rouse a harvest of feels as you cozy up to this bountiful collection of poems.
‘Thanksgiving Day’ by Lydia Maria Child
“Over the river and through the wood,To grandfather’s house we go; The horse knows the wayTo carry the sleighThrough the white and drifted snow.” Read Thanksgiving poems at Poetry Foundation.
‘The Traveling Onion’ by Naomi Shihab Nye
“It is right that tears fall
for something small and forgotten.
How at meal, we sit to eat,
commenting on texture of meat or herbal aroma
but never on the translucence of onion,
now limp, now divided,
or its traditionally honorable career:
For the sake of others,
disappear.”
‘The Traveling Onion’ by Naomi Shihab Nye
POETS.ORG
‘Perhaps the World Ends Here’ by Joy Harjo
“Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back together once again at the table.” Thanksgiving poetry on Poetry Foundation.
‘When Giving is All We Have’ by Alberto Rìos
“Giving is, first and every time, hand to hand,Mine to yours, yours to mine.You gave me blue and I gave you yellow.Together we are simple green. You gave meWhat you did not have, and I gave youWhat I had to give—together, we madeSomething greater from the difference.
‘A Thanksgiving Poem’ by C.S. Vincent
“In sixteen hundred twenty-three,The corn-fields yielded plenteously,The pumpkins looked like balls of gold,Wild turkeys came in flocks untold,Dire famine fled to parts unknown,So plenty everywhere was strown, And every heart rejoiced and sang
Till with thanksgiving forests rang.”Read poems for Thanksgiving at the Library of Congress.
‘Thanksgiving Time’ by Langston Hughes
“When the pantry jars are full of mince-meat and the shelves are laden with sweet spices for a cake,When the butcher man sends up a turkey nice and fat to bake,When the stores are crammed with everything ingenious cooks can make,It’s Thanksgiving Time!
‘Miracles’ by Giannina Braschi
“Like finding camaraderie and solidarity among friends you never thought could be your friends.Like understanding the other—not loving the other—but putting yourself in theshoes of the other—not to take their position—not to steal what the otherhas—but to feel what the other feels—to appreciate his thoughts.”Read Happy Thanksgiving Poems on Poets.org.
Read Happy Thanksgiving Poems Here
‘Thanksgiving’ by Bessie Lawrence
“Oh, the golden heart-warming autumn days!The air is full of a dreamy haze:So quiet the noisy brooklets seem,We hear their dashing as in a dream.The sloping hill-sides, and mountains grand,In a blaze of glory gorgeous stand,Red, and yellow, and golden brown,A mass of color fluttering down …”Read poems for Thanksgiving at the Library of Congress.
‘i thank you God for most this amazing day’ by E.E. Cummings
“i thank You God for most this amazingday: for the leaping greenly spirits of treesand a blue true dream of sky; and for everythingwhich is natural which is infinite which is yes.” Listen to the full poem at Poetry Foundation.
‘A Song of Thanks’ by Edward Smyth Jones
“For the pumpkin sweet and the yellow yam,For the corn and beans and the sugared ham,For the plum and the peach and the apple red,For the dear old press where the wine is tread … “
‘Thanksgiving Turkey’ by George Parsons Lathrop
“Let our laughter Leap like firelight up again.Soon we touch the wide Hereafter,Snow-field yet untrod of men:Shall we meet once more—and when?— To eat Thanksgiving turkey.
‘Thanksgiving’ by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
“But blessing are like friends, I hold,Who love and labor near us.We ought to raise our notes of praiseWhile living hearts can hear us.”Read the full poem at Poets.org.
‘Thanksgiving for Two’ by Marjorie Saiser
“What we didn’t see was this day, inour pajamas if we want to,wrinkled hands strong, winein juice glasses, toastingwhatever’s next,the decades of side-by-side,our great good luck.”Read the full poem at Poetry Foundation.
‘The Soldier’s Thanksgiving’ by Lydia Baxter
“Our table, though humble, we’ll thankfully fill,While home, with its loved ones, our bosoms shall thrill;We’ll join in the banquet they freely bestow,Then onward to duty we’ll joyfully go.”Read this and other Thanksgiving poems here: Library of Congress.
‘Thanksgiving’ by Edgar Albert Guest
“Home from the east land an’ home from the west,Home with the folks that are dearest an’ best.Out of the sham of the cities afarWe’ve come for a time to be just what we are.” Poetry Foundation: happy Thanksgiving poems.
‘Testify’ by Eve L. Ewing
“& still we are golden& a man who wore the walkof hard grounds & lost dayscame toward me in the street& said ‘girl what a beautifulday’ & i said yes, testify“
‘Thanks’ by W.S. Merwin
“with the animals dying around usour lost feelings we are saying thank youwith the forests falling faster than the minutesof our lives we are saying thank youwith the words going out like cells of a brainwith the cities growing over uswe are saying thank you faster and fasterwith nobody listening we are saying thank youwe are saying thank you and wavingdark though it is” Read thanksgiving blessings at www.poets.org.
‘America, I Sing Back’ by Allison Adelle Hedge Coke
“Oh, but here I am, here I am, here, I remain high on each and every peak,carefully rumbling her great underbelly, prepared to pour forth singing—and sing again I will, as I have always done.Never silenced unless in the company of strangers, singingthe stoic face, polite repose, polite, while dancing deep inside, politeMother of her world. Sister of myself.” Read more Happy Thanksgiving Poems.
‘The Raincoat’ by Ada Limón
“ … and I saw a mom take her raincoat offand give it to her young daughter whena storm took over the afternoon. My god,I thought, my whole life I’ve been under herraincoat thinking it was somehow a marvelthat I never got wet.”
‘Red Brocade’ by Naomi Shihab Nye
“Your plate is waiting.We will snip fresh mintinto your tea.”
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