Benediction

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Come over the river and through the woods
To gather at my table
Bring all of your friends and all your relations
For story, song, and fable

Bring your hunger and your thirst
For the feast prepared to eat and
Lift a glass of golden tea
With ice and sugar sweetened

All the gifts of harvest laid
On linens crisp and white
Family treasures of china set
With silver winking bright

Sweet potatoes topped with praline
A roasted fowl brought steaming
In our laps the napkins laid
To catch the juices streaming

As we welcome all who gather
Strangers and loved ones and friends
We praise the God who saved us all
With thanks that never ends.

So bow your heads and close your eyes
Join hands and hearts to pray
We ask for blessings on all who gather
For this Thanksgiving Day

-Zoe Richardson (2023)

Author's Note

Lots of actual turkeys were harmed, consumed, and blissfully enjoyed in the making of this holiday!

Reviews

[Ayvid N]

A poem so rich and sumptuous in imagery. The underlying theme is gratitude to God and that resonates so deeply with me. Thankfulness is a virtue and life rewards those who are humble and thankful. I loved that the poem has such effortless and meaningful rhyming and the way it sang to me from the page.

[Zoe Richardson]

DIVYA, your praise is so welcome, and humbling. I love it when my poetry sings from the page. That is just what I was going for. Please come back and read more when you have the time!

[Ayvid N]

I most certainly will. It will be a pleasure!

[1809 Black Plague Decem..]

Oh, wow, Dear Zoe Richardson, Benediction is brings feelings of the history of thanksgiving, our now today tradition, and the word of God. I thoroughly enjoyed this dark side of you. Its hard to take, it is blasphemous, but as a dark writer, I understand you. I tend to write works that creep others, make the fear of the simplest animate. I saw and saw and read, and read, and cried inwardly. Benediction. Love it. ----Maynard James Keenan. :)

[poetgurl]

This is a wonderful write here, enjoyed this write a lot.

[Ken Simm.]

And thats exactly what most of us do. Even those like me who live alone. I still had the full dinner. But I did go out and see others as well. A series of lovely thoughts in an even lovlier poem.

[FGFRANKLIN]

Yummy, yummy. We had turkey this year. I wasn't going to go to the trouble until I saw they were 29 cents a pound. I bought a fifteen pounder for about $4 and baked it up with stuffing, cranberry sauce, crock pot green beans with ham, sweet taters, deviled eggs, gravy, coleslaw and all the works. I love cooking good food and then eating it. But the real meaning behind Thanksgiving is in the name. It's all about being grateful for our many blessings and it seems from the read that it's a point not lost on the author. I greatly enjoyed!

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

Love this write
Well done

[Zoe Richardson]

Thank you! I am so glad you chose my poem to read. Your praise made my day!

[An owl on the moon]

Such a beautifully lifting joy of thoughts and feasts... sweetest time with those you love. Thank you for sharing your Thanksgiving world through poetic wonder!

[Zoe Richardson]

Thank you for reading and for your thoughtful praise! A feast is lovely to have once a year. As is gathering with loved ones.

[Gee]

"Lots of turkeys were harmed... : )))))))Loved this offering, devoured and lips licked:)
Hope you are well m'dear

[Zoe Richardson]

I'm working on it! I did have a most excellent holiday, despite my physical imperfections. Now...we head into calorie season!

[Chris Shaw]

What a welcome invitation Zoe. A mouth watering feast for Thanksgiving. Certainly a time for gratitude, particularly this year, when conflict is taking place throughout the world and there is so much sorrow. Yes, we should all count our blessings and be thankful. Nicely rhymed stanzas. Sweet potatoes with praline I have never experienced. Sounds yummy though. Happy holiday.

Chris

[Zoe Richardson]

Thank you, dear Chris. There are two sweet potato offerings that grace the Southern table. Sweet potato casserole topped with lightly toasted marshmallows, and sweet potato casserole topped with praline. The term 'casserole' is used loosely. It's basically mashed sweet potatoes (not yams) mixed with sugar and egg (for richness) and baked with topping of choice. Not being a lover of sweet potato, I can't tell you which is better.

[Chris Shaw]

Mmm sounds yummy Zoe

[noddingoff]

happy thanksgiving (: i love the imagery and how you rhymed eat and/sweetened. Perfect

[Zoe Richardson]

You are most kind, dear friend! I strive to make my images tasty. That way, those who don't celebrate Thanksgiving can at least have some idea of what takes place. A day set aside for gratitude can never be a bad thing!

[Julian]

LOVE it, this is as warm and comfortable as past Thanksgivings were at my in=laws house. And of course it could not be a Southern holiday without that sweet tea! :o) I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving day.

[Zoe Richardson]

Awww! You are so kind. Sweet tea is so ubiquitous it graces every meal. And (let's be honest here) most of us are sipping on it every day all year round. I hope you, too, have a wonderful holiday and remember to always be grateful!

[Julian]

Sweet tea was my precious wife's daily drink! :o)

[Zoe Richardson]

It is the house wine of the South. I prefer half sweet tea/half lemonade now, as the hard stuff contains too much caffeine. Lol