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
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
Why is it
That when I
Have dreams about
My long gone
Pets I wake
Up with the
Same heavy dull
Heartbreak of loss
And welling tears
As if I’ve
Rediscovered the death
Of my dearest
Dearest loved ones
Because they are
At my age
Nightmares are often
About the death
Of lost love
Creating an ache
I cannot shake
Frightened to sleep
And remember again
Why is it
That the one
Thing that you
Never asked happened
To be the
One thing the
Lynchpin holding everything
Else together snuggly
And then during
The rumble and
Rattle of us
It slipped out
On some dusty
Country road careening
You in one
Direction and me
In the other
Unable to find
That damned pin
We simply stare
At each other
Wondering how do
We ever get
Back to the
Place we were
Like a child
Mesmerized by his
Bounty of gifts
Stacked beneath the
Tree or like
The guests intoxicated
By the wafting
Aromas of turkey
Stuffing yams and
Pie billowing from
Warm kitchens dreaming
Of pants busting
Meals I am
Thinking of you
On this particularly
Cold Carolina morning
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 