TODAY I AM THANKFUL:
SO FULL OF GRATITUDE
FOR MY LIFE
MY HOME
AND A NEW
ATTITUDE,
THE WARMTH OF
THE SUN AS IT
SHINES ON MY BACK
WALKING THE HILLS
AND FIELDS OF ATTACK,
WHILE TORRENTS OF
RAINWATER
GUSH ON BY
I AM SO THANKFUL
THAT TODAY IS DRY
WHILE THE
MOON’S WIDE EYE
GLOWS
IN THE DARKEST SKY
(LAST NIGHT)
WHAT A SIGHT:
STARS TWINKLING
AND THE MILKY WAY
SMILING AT ME
WHAT MORE CAN
I SAY
BEFORE I REALIZE
THESE ARE THE
GIFTS THAT CARRY
AND LIFT,
THE TREASURES
AND DREAMS
THE THINGS WITHOUT
MEASURE:
MY BROTHER
MY SISTER
THE HOURS OF
PLEASURE
WHILE
CREATING MY BOOKS
AND CASTING ASUNDER
UNBEARABLE STRANDS
THE JOY OF
GIFTING TO
OPEN HANDS
THAT UNDERSTAND
MY MEANING,
SO IF YOU ARE
LEANING
INTO THE DEPTHS
LOOK AROUND
AND SEE
WHAT LIFE CAN BE:

IT HAPPENED THE
DAY WHEN
OTHER THINGS
WERE GOING ON,
BUT THIS EVENT
FAR OUTREACHED
THE GRAYHAIRED/
BLOND GUY
(WHALER BEACHED),
FOR THE POWER
OF THE FEMININE
THE GATHERING
OF WOMEN
ROSE UP IN ARMS
TRIPPING ALL THE
STRONG ALARMS:
WE ARE MARCHING
TO BE HEARD
SO LISTEN TO
OUR EVERY WORD
WE HAVE A LOT
TO SAY:
MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS
AUNTS, MARAUDERS,
BLACK AND WHITE
AND RED,
WE STORMED UPON
WASHINGTON
TO SHOW THE WORLD
WE ARE NOT GONE
OR EVEN QUIET
WE HAVE COME TO
CAUSE A RIOT
A DISTANCE BETWEEN
THE WILD AND
THE GREEN,
AND NONSENSE BETRAYED
WE ARE NOT AFRAID
TO STAND UP STRAIGHT
BECAUSE WE WILL NOT
HAVE TO WAIT
FOR LONG:
OUR SONG IS NOW,
TODAY, THIS MINUTE
COMING CLOSE TO
OUR FINAL LIMIT
YOU MUST NOT TAKE
OUR RIGHTS AWAY,
GIVEN ONCE
WE KNOW WE MAY
HAVE BOUNDARIES
BUT LISTEN CAREFULLY
TO OUR VOICE,
WE ARE SPEAKING
FOR THE COMMON
CHOICE,
THE GIRL
WHO IS YOUNG
AND JUST BEGUN,
AND THE WOMAN
WITH LITTLE TO SHOW
FOR YEARS OF OPPRESSION
FROM ABOVE AND
BELOW,
TO THE IMMIGRANT
FEMS AND THE MIRACLE
GEMS WHO FOUND
THEIR FREEDOM
BEHIND THE STATUE
OF LIBERTY,
UNAFRAID, BOLD AND
RARELY SOLD
SUCH A BILL
OF GOODS AS THESE,

AMIDST ROASTING ALMONDS
AND PACKAGES DELIVERED
LIGHTS WENT UP
AND BRANCHES QUIVERED
AS OUR TREE BLINKED WILD
T’WAS LIKE CHRISTMAS
FOR A HAPPY CHILD,
MY FRIENDS CRACKED CRAB
IN THE HOUSE OF TESTOSTERONE:
A FLOURISHING LOVING
PARTY TO OWN,
BUT FIRST CAME THE BOOKS:
THE LONG SIDEWAYS LOOKS
A BIT OF DESPAIR
WE HAD TO MAKE SURE
THEY WERE PACKED
AND ALL THERE,
AND SOON THEY ARRIVED
IN A PAIR OF TRUCKS
EACH ONE MORE SHINY
AND BEARING GOOD LUCK,
THE BEDLAM BEGAN
IN A STUDIOUS WAY
LIKE KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL
AND READY TO PLAY,
LIFTING AND CARTING
ALWAYS OUTSMARTING
THE VERY NEXT ACT,
THEY WOULD SURELY
BE BACK,
SO AFTER TWO DAYS
OF HAULING THE TOMES
WE FINALLY GOT THEM
ALL SET UP AT HOME,
AND CHRISTMAS BEGAN
IN A MOST PROPER WAY
BAKING THE COOKIES
FOR LATER THAT DAY,
MOULDING AND SHAPING
THE NEW RECIPE
IT WAS REALLY GOOD FUN,
AND SOMETHING
TO SEE,
WE WENT TO JOSE’S
FOR THE MEXICAN SPICE,
WITH SNAZZY FISH TACOS
FRESH BEANS AND RICE,
MAKING A LIST
TO BE SURE OF OURSELVES
WE ENTERED THE SPACE
OF THE QUIRKY OLD ELFS,