My best memory
Of Thanksgiving Day
Was so long
Ago and so
Simple that I’m
Surprised I remember
My mother sent
Me to the
Store to buy
Milk swaddled in
Heavy coat and
Cap I crossed
The playground and
Heard laughter and
Saw families gathering
Like swarms of
Bumblebees hugging golden
Sunflowers and then
As if by
Magic heaven itself
Shed its manna
And the lightest
Of snow began
To fall and
This is what
Thanksgiving means to
Me Happy Thanksgiving
The most important
Thing to remember
Is to say
What you mean
Today today today
Not tomorrow or
Regret having never
Said it ever
So as you
Read this turn
To the person
Next to you
And simply say
I may not
Know you but
Someone else does
And you mean
More to them
Than you know
And them you
Sometimes we tend
To parse things
Out in order
To understand them
Like a present
Isn’t really a
Surprise it’s simply
A thing a
Box some paper
Tape and ribbon
Same as love
When we autopsy
It we discover
It’s flaws but
Once it’s gone
We miss the
Whole of it
Ah a smile
Like a galaxy
Of individual stars
Staring at me
Like the lights
Of Christmas trees
Twinkling behind ornaments
Like early sunrise
And harvest moons
Like that very
First crisp bite
Of a freshly
Picked autumn apple
Like those cheesy
Grins in old
Childhood photographs which
Now embarrass everyone
Like mirrors into
Your soul like
Whispers into ears
Just like you
Look at me
I often wonder
Why confessions of
Faith are often
Whispered but declarations
Of belief are
Often yelled for
Everyone else to
Hear the same
Goes for love
The hope for
Love is often
Admitted to pillows
Right before sleep
And the end
Of it is
Heard by just
About every one
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 