Category Archives: Poetry

Thanksgiving at my Table

ThanksgivingThanksgiving is a special time to remember all the good things in our lives. Not that we shouldn’t do that all the time, but this is a time to do it together. I wrote this some time ago, but it still applies today.

Whatever you are doing in this season, I hope you are able to enjoy the blessings around you.

Thanksgiving

I feast my eyes on the children
my children
grown, beautiful
building an order to their lives.

My eldest getting married
to a wonderful young man
Another in law school,
not quite together yet about his life,
his vocation, his love,
But together in his head, his vitality
his assessment of things.

And the youngest
when did she get so lovely,
so tall, so slim
so elegant,
getting off the train
hugging her brother.

I feast my eyes on my nieces and nephews
growing up, getting taller
building an order to their lives.
Carrying the chairs, setting the table,
laughing as I torture the turkey

I feast my eyes on the richness of the harvest,
of young people
having birthdays, arguing about politics,
growing older, entering adulthood.
I feast my eyes on the miracle of it all.

This poem was reprinted from The Myth of the Yellow Kitchen, a memoir about resilience in the face of life’s challenges.

 

Identity

I always think I’m
not in the right place
at the right time
doing the right thing
whatever right is.

I always feel that I’m
not wearing the right clothes
no matter how many clothes I buy.
Sheila always seems
perfectly groomed,
informal for informality
tailored for such occasions,
wearing stockings while
I go bare-legged to the theater
feeling gross,
not dressed correctly
not in concert
with my age, status, or place in life.
so the next time
I wear stockings
and she looks perfect
in jeans
and a red shirt.

Lucy gets a job
selling insurance
and I think that’s the right thing
even though I hate selling
and hate insurance.
but for one long week
I read the business section
of the New York Times
thinking I should
apply for those jobs.
but I never do.