a “no-thanks” poem was my thanksgiving
intent – no thanks for the oil-spewing XL
pipeline, no thanks for family separation
caging of kids hacking of habitat erasure
of reefs whales insects sapiens etc etc etc
but I’ve changed my mind and want instead
to give heartfelt thanks to the courageous
folk especially of our state department
military and more for showing us what worth
is what living up to commitment means what
faith in our institutions instills: no I won’t
write a long list of names I will let two
women typify for all: marie yovanovitch
fiona hill: and add that their testimonies
(plus words of others) also strike home that
we are a nation of immigrants except those
here already – we know even these made
their way here long ago across icy land
bridges or via treacherous seas to populate
this bounteous land and all have given – as
my grandfather painted on his silo for us all
to live by – “life as well as an honest living”
2019 Jacqueline Jackson
This article appears in Holiday Happenings 2019.
