And what if
After all the
Gifts have been
Opened after the
Explosions of laughter
Glee and surprise
There remains the
Last gift the
Last cherished gift
The smallest gift
The gift that
Went unnoticed the
Gift that patiently
Waited for its
Turn to shine
And what if
That gift had
No card to
Whom should it
Go certainly not
To those grabbing
But instead like
The gift itself
To the one
Patiently waiting simply
Because they belong
Together at last
Such is love
And there is
A day here
In America on
The last Thursday
In November when
The skies are
Grey and littered
With snow and
The wind blows
Cold against faces
That people carry
Pots dishes pans
Wine and desserts
Into friendly houses
To gather around
A table giving
Thanks for those
Most important things
The greatest of
Which are their
Families however that
Group is defined
A day of
Laughter and football
Of stories and
Old jokes of
Belly busting feasts
Here in America
Today is Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving to
My friends and
Family I’m thinking
Of you all
And finally like
A child that
Has gathered courage
I looked beneath
The bed peered
Into dark closets
And wandered through
The halls ready
To confront monsters
Finding none I
Burrowed back beneath
My covers victorious
At last knowing
That my monsters
Only ever existed
Wherever I was
And nowhere else
And on this
First of November
We remember those
We have lost
Like the leaves
Of fall give
Way to winter’s
Snow we must
Remember that we
All are but
Reminders for those
To come blanketing
A cold world
Upon which for
Them they can
Walk on softly
Until like spring
Gives way to
Summer they blossom
My dear boy
My purpose in
Your life is
Clear I am
To plant not
To sow I
Am to predict
Where you are
To experience then
Reflect with the
Knowledge that I’ve
Already installed think
Of me as
Nothing more than
A map of
Your adventure of
Which I have
Already lived first
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 