A fat girl's Thanksgiving is being told to pass on the pumpkin pie
A fat girl's Thanksgiving is being scrutinized over everything you ingest
A fat girl's Thanksgiving is being met with questions no matter what you eat or don't eat
"Have some more potatoes, Sarah"
"Haven't you had enough yet?"
A fat girl's Thanksgiving is a double standard wrapped up
In a pretty floral bow
Just like the cornucopia in the table's center.
A fat girl's Thanksgiving is a broken tradition fixated not on giving thanks
But on her every movement in regards to her plate
A fat girl's Thanksgiving is only eating half her helping
A fat girl's Thanksgiving is throwing up each and every bite of it
Into a porcelain garbage bin exactly thirteen minutes later
A fat girl's Thanksgiving is perfecting a purge
Stand up and lean
Time it just right
Dry heave first.
A fat girl's Thanksgiving is the second to last time she sees her grandpa
And she cannot even focus on family
Because this disease has intertwined itself into the crevices of her mind
A fat girl's Thanksgiving is her worst nightmare and her favorite holiday
For she is constantly under surveillance
But no one questions her habits that day
So she is free to be sick as often as she likes.
A fat girl's Thanksgiving is counting every calorie
Knowing exactly how much she needs to compensate for every particle of food
Polluting her system.
A fat girl's Thanksgiving is shoving things into her body
And immediately wanting them out
While having the means to get rid of them.
A fat girl's Thanksgiving has always been shared with her alter ego,
Bulimia.
A fat girl's Thanksgiving has always been a paradox
Hopefully this year she will be able to go alone.

Thanksgiving is a time we are thankful
for what we've got.
For the food on the table and what
harvest hath brought.
Thanksgiving to some is  a cold,
autumn day.
Yet to be thankful quietly they
say.
Thanksgiving is remembered usually
with gourds, leaves, and turkey dinners.
Praising God even as sinners.
The wine is poured and some drink up.
Just remember who fills your cup.
Thanksgiving is time to be happy
and a time to celebrate.
Memories of mother saying.." come for dinner-
don't be late."
The table set and people feast and dine.
As one says.." pour me another glass of wine."
"Cheers to all and another year of shelter, clothes,
and food to eat."  Yells one.  
Harvest time hath been good, but still isn't
quite done.
Thanksgiving is more than that to me.
I'm thankful for God's blessings everyday-
I see.
Its more than food and a pumpkin pie,
latte, or cake.
Its about the love that Jesus brings for
what is real and not fake.
He died and rose again for our sins,
and another year is almost through.
Thanksgiving is a way of reflecting the past
and be thankful for what's new.
I took a walk one thanksgiving afternoon and
saw a poor man begging for at least a dime.
His clothes were worn out, and I gave him
a dollar and a rhyme.
He smiled at me and said..."Bless your soul,
I wish more cared like you." he cries.
As I walk away I notice a teardrop in his
eyes.
Thanksgiving is a time when we should be more
than thankful than one day, but to have a loving heart.
Be thankful for what each day brings and not just one day
in the year that taketh part.

Sherri Harder

It began with
*******

A powerful black man
And a hot babe
Making passionate love

It made me have a strong ******

I can't quite remember
What I had for breakfast

I ended up doing
Quite a few dishes this morning

I ran three miles
At the gym
And did some
Other exercises there

I left the gym at two
And pulled up to the house
Said goodbye to a house guest
Who had stayed for two days

Then I was off
Off for my Thanksgiving drive

And isn't it beautiful
Isn't it wonderful
To see Americans
Celebrating Thanksgiving

As I drive up one street
A family barbecues
On the front lawn
Smoke rising in the air

I drive through
My favorite mountain
Suburb

There are many walkers
Out this Thanksgiving afternoon

A man leaves
What I believe
Is his father's home

I see them part

I see a group of men
And women
Well dressed

Walking together

I play classical music
In my car
And play it loudly
So they can hear

I hope they think
"Why that is lovely"

Emotional I am
In my car

Not wanting to be
In my own home
On Thanksgiving

Having lived there
Since 1997
I've had all the family time
I could ever want

So it's good
It's wonderful
To be alone
On this Thanksgiving

I wonder what it would
Be like
To join these people
On their walk
Beneath the trees
In this beautiful neighborhood

I drive by and see
What I think is a father
Say goodbye to his son

I look at the father
On his front lawn
And he waves

Kind of him
To do so
I wave back

As if he might know
That I wish
I had friends
To spend
This day with

A man
Also stopped me
As he walked by
And asked for directions

I gave him directions
I asked him how he was
And wished him
A Happy Thanksgiving
He wished me
A Happy Thanksgiving as well

I don't know what "happy" is
And yet I say it
Like some line
From a hallmark greeting card
But my intention was good

I guess a happy Thanksgiving
For me would have been
To have a dinner
With some friends

Or to play croquet
Or another lawn game

Like the games I saw people
Playing on their front lawns
Underneath the beautiful trees
In this mountain suburban
American neighborhood

And as I drove
I saw people of different
Ethnicities

African American, Asian
And Caucasian

And they were enjoying the day
Living in peace

And I felt grateful to live here
In this country

And I thought to myself
I hope we are always
At peace like this

Because difficult
And trying times
Often come

I don't understand Thanksgiving
I don't understand it at all
Instead of giving thanks for things
We sit and watch football
Americans give thanks each year
For the bounties in their life
Like freedom, food and housing
A loving family, little strife
But, in Canada, it's different
We give thanks, slightly the same
But, ours is a holiday from politicians
It's not held the day we came
We watch football, and eat turkey
Gorge ourselves and fall asleep
Leaving dishes till tomorrow
We know the mess will keep
but, if Thanksgiving has true meaning
And we give thanks, I want to know
Who are we truly thanking really
Is it God ? I need to know
Are we thanking God for loving us
Even though he can't be seen
Do we thank ourselves for what we've earned
It's not as easy as it seems
I mean, really when it comes down to it
What is Thanksgiving truly for?
Is it to gorge ourselves on turkey
So we can watch football some more
It's not something that I'm fond of
It's a day off work, that's all
I'm thankful for my bounty
But, I don't know who to call
To tell that I am thankful
I'm a transplant here you see
I don't understand Thanksgiving
It don't mean much to me
If a homeless man is thankful
Is it right that some are not
They just eat and watch their football
All the things that he has not
He's as thankful as the next man
In fact I'd say he's more
Because to him, a true thanksgiving
Doesn't need to have a score.

Thanksgiving 2014 will be different for me. We are not together because you left me. You are in Nashville doing your  thing, and I am in Chicago where I need to be. You are homeless, I am not, I am a poet and writer, and not just a want to be one . You are a want to be musician trying to fulfill a pipe dream but I have real publishers who want to publish me.
I may not have family but I have friends and I know if I need them I can call them you see. Your Thanksgiving will be at mission in Nashville, Tennessee but I will have a Thanksgiving here where I am right now.
The library is closed on Thanksgiving Day and I have my lap to keep me company. There is no way to send you a Thanksgiving Day Card because you blocked me on your Facebook.  You will travel from one church to another if that is fun I think that is not funny. Thanksgiving Day 2014 will certainly be different to me.

Unreality: Thanksgiving Miami Style

It is 70 degrees, afternoon,
sunny Miami winter style.
Nike shorts, flip flops,
polo shirt white,
music, pandora, and
no place he
needs to be.

the collected works and
worries, left behind,
the boy, and he is taking
it to the limit,
wanting a day of no cares,
one more time.

yet, recollecting, writing
impertent, dissatisfied,
no reason, none that I can
irrationally explain.

previous night,
my eyes have
seen the
second-coming.

everybody smiles
happy, looking fit,
tight black dresses
the law of the land.
food flows like wine,
wine flows like water.

lose track of the numbers,
glasses of Cortese di Gavi,
cold and white refilled
in the Miami heat,
exactly, how old am I,
and where
my eyes should
not be staring,
bodies intended
to maim,
after they
**** you.

it is a long-short tale,
how it came to be,
that I am living thanksgiving
in the unreality of Miami style.

was supposed be at the
head of the table carving,
giving secret tastes to
numerous grandchildren,
multiple dogs,
defrosting after the
Macy's Day Parade.
my children, their
kith and kin.
that was supposed to be
my New York reality,
at the head of the table.

divorce, monkey wrench,
I am in a different state,
a different table, a
welcome bystander,
but her love,
my love,
has brought me,
to unseasonal places,
higher and higher,
where I am welcomed
as her man.

not a bad unreality,
but still someone has torn
off a piece of me,
a tasty combo of
sad and guilt,
that I ******* up,
which is why this
writing is my re-righting
the ship of perspective.

maybe I am dreaming
of what was never,
could have been,
should of been,
kidding myself, with an idyll,
the unreality of an idol,
though I vague recollect,
there were meals like that.

think this is my fourth trip here,
sort of, almost a tradition.
BobbyDylan, he reminds
what that woman,
done for me,
been doing to me.

"I was in another lifetime
one of toil and blood,
when blackness was a virtue
and the road was full of mud
I came in from the wilderness
a creature void of form.

"Come in" she said
"I'll give you shelter
from the storm".

so she did,
a new reality born.
so semi-sad poem, but
happy thanks to give,
for this day,
new family
embracing, and I am
recollecting,
read somewhere,
you cannot be thankful
for having,
only for giving.

Thanksgiving

Not
Thanks-having
Thanks-receiving

New Reality: Thanksgiving Miami Style.

Happy Thanksgiving
    
Hollow words
thrown out like confetti
to land where they will
on the well manicured lawns
of the houses of plenty
and the cardboard beds
of the hopeless homeless

Happy Thanksgiving

Words as flint to
Spark the tinder
that flares into flame
that warms some and
chills others who are
celebrating things
that no one
woud be thankful for

Happy Thanksgiving

To those with little
to be thankful for
except the lack of dyeing
and a list of shiny promises
most already broken
with the pieces
scattered on the floor

Happy Thanksgiving

Greedy merchants
rub their hands
And hide the day
in bargain hunts
For things that
don’t bring joy
but just more need

Happy Thanksgiving

Living in a little corner
of the furor that is life
a tiny candle in the shadows
holding out the hand of hope
of kindness, even love
sharing what has been
stored up for use
this day and every day
to live the meaning
of the  word Thanksgiving.

ljm

I
Bless us Oh Lord,
for these thy gifts
Which we are about to receive
from thy bounty through
Christ, our Lord Amen

II
Thou whose hand
hath brought us
onto this joyful day,
Accept our glad
Thanksgiving
and listen to us pray

III
Thank you Lord,
for all that grows
Thank you Lord
For the rainbows
Thank you Lord
For the sky and
stars that shine
Thank you Lord for
the moon and the sun.
Thank you Lord for
all you have done.

I will never forget the Thanksgiving prayer. My father offered when I was a child. He took the letters of “Thanksgiving”
And he gave them value

IV
Thanksgiving
T is for thankfulness
H is for everyone Here
A is for amen
N is for Never giving up on God
K is for kindness we show each other
S is for the Sunshine and Stars

G is for God our Lord Jesus Christ
I is for the Individuals at our table
V is for Variety of bounty the Lord gave
I is for Initiating forgiveness and love
N is for Noticing the gifts God gave us
G is for Grace and Gratitudes

It wasn’t until years later, we found out that father had cut that prayer out of the paper and he put it in the palm of his hand, and he read the poem so seamlessly we all thought he was making it up off the top of his head.

Feel free to make your personalized version
For your Thanksgiving Blessings prayer
and fill it with everything that would
be of your family’s gifts and blessings

Happy Thanksgiving
May God bless you and your family

I encourage you to write your Thanksgiving prayer
traditions in the comments

this is the third thanksgiving without you.
this is the third thanksgiving without your laugh.
this is the third thanksgiving without the question "are your still playing?"
this is the third thanksgiving without that faint tobacco smell following you.

this is the fourth thanksgiving without you.
this is the fourth thanksgiving without you yelling at my uncle for his hair.
this is the fourth thanksgiving without you're criticisms about the soup being salty.
this is the forth thanksgiving without your two cents about politics.

i hate having two less seats at the table.