THANKSGIVING: A sense of place

It begins with the rain and the sound of tapping
Feet of a thousand squirrels over the rooftop
A thunderclap and the swirled dry grass

On either side the lime stone cliffs guard the waterway
And the brown river winds its way south – we are travelers
Come together in the mystery of coincidence

Each with a story – we may or may not tell
And in not telling find a greater richness in and yet
The insurmountable distance of a lonely heart

That echoes like a loon’s cry across the stillness of the lake
Morning covered in fog reaching for the tops of the spruce trees
Melting away with the burning sun

The spray of the wave revives me as it wets my face
And splashes against the lap of the lake
Blue sky dappled clouds and languorous colors

Seem to stretch across the day as we move together
Take it all in – we are apart and yet could not be closer
Of the same human stream the same tribe

Now over the table of gifts and plenty set before us
We say in the consumption of our blessings and our knowing
A thank you for the journey that brings us together on the road

That is the sometimes-mutual existence of our lives and we will forever
As did those on the journey who went before us carry in our hearts
The memory of this day and all there is to be thankful for