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Monday 2 October 2017

Poetry Monday: thanksgiving (the lowercase version)

Poetry Monday was started by Diane, of On the Alberta/Montana Border, taken up by Delores of Mumblings, and by Joan (who contributes in the comments here) and me. Anyone who'd like to join in is welcome to do so on any of our blogs, or you can leave us your blog address in the comments if you are posting on your own blog.

Thanksgiving holiday in Canada is one week from today, and I have a special post for that day.

Today, though, the topic suggested by our fearless leader Diane is "thanksgiving" and I'm using it in the general sense, with a lowercase "t".

Try as I might, I could not come up with an original poem that encompasses my gratitude for all I have. The topic seems huge, and when it comes to poetry I'm better at humour than serious topics.

Therefore, I would like to share a favourite poem with you from author e. e. cummings. Perhaps you are already familiar with it; both the author and this poem are well known and well-studied by high school students here, and that may be true in other areas as well.

This poem expresses my feelings completely in a way that I'd never be able to do. Not holding religious beliefs myself, it could be considered ironic that I love this poem as much as I do. But I choose to interpret the concept of God in an exceedingly broad way, and its usage does not--for me--change in any way the power and beauty of e. e. cummings' words. (Source: click here)


i thank You God for most this amazing

i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any—lifted from the no
of all nothing—human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)



*****

the spring version of amazing
 
the summer version of amazing

the fall version . . . where leaping greenly turns to fiery reds and oranges and yellows . . .

. . . and winter . . . still amazing with no leaves at all . . .

(All photos by Procrastinating Donkey, who has been procrastinating up a storm lately. You may (or may not) recall that last year at this time, I spoke of the feeling of standing on train tracks with a train bearing down on me from behind--the feeling I get every year from September to December. Well, that train has crept up on my procrastinating self again. Currently I am busy sewing draft blockers  for a craft sale. Today I sewed one completely inside out. And I sewed another one shut at both ends before I had a chance to stuff it. I'm a little afraid of what tomorrow will bring.)




42 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

How I love this post.
e.e cummings is a master.
I adore your photos.
And think my special talent (you know the one we were told we all have) is as an appreciator. I am grateful for so many things each and every day. And grateful to be able to give thanks.
Sigh on your misadventures though. I go down similar paths all too often. I hope tomorrow is smoother than silk for you.

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

The world is a beautiful place and I am thankful for all the wonderful things of nature that surrounds me. Even in the darkness of winter, the sun does shine

only slightly confused said...

What a beautiful piece of writing........I read it again and again.
I know what you mean about that train....the deadline for the wee mans birthday present is getting so very close and I am knitting like a mad fury to be done in time.....makes life interesting, yes?

Red said...

I don't recall this poem. It does make us think of how thankful we should be for the support the earth to give us life.

Anonymous said...

Hello Jenny, I've never heard of e. e. cummings, an interesting poem.
Loved the pictures you took, especially the fall one, very colourful and vibrant. I always wanted to see New England in the Fall, but never did. Never mind, I enjoy all the pictures/photographs I see of the colours.
I'm afraid I shall have to decline this weeks poetry as I see that next weeks theme is harvest.
Over here we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but do celebrate harvest with our Harvest Festivals, so that was going to be my poem for today, but I shall just leave it for next week instead.
Have a good week.

Joan (Devon)

Joanne Noragon said...

Better get a draft blocker before the wind of chaos comes under your door.

Marie Smith said...

Such a perfect thanksgiving offering, Jenny! Beautiful!

jenny_o said...

I'm glad you enjoyed this poem, too, EC. And, in the process of appreciating, you capture and share beauty with others--these are also talents, and I for one am grateful for that.

jenny_o said...

There's so much beauty if we look, isn't there?

jenny_o said...

"Interesting" is certainly one way to describe it!

jenny_o said...

I wondered if this poem was on the curriculum across Canada and now I probably have the answer!

jenny_o said...

Looking forward to your poem next week. I had to scurry around to find a thanksgiving themed post for today because I already had my uppercase "T" Thanksgiving post planned! I must say that the many photographs of the fall colours that are available on the internet really do capture their beauty. It's so nice to have photographers around the world bring us scenes we'd never see otherwise.

jenny_o said...

I'm not sure a lowly draft blocker will keep that out, but it will help with winter winds :)

jenny_o said...

Thank you, Marie--I do love this poem. Which I think is repeating myself :)

Diane Stringam Tolley said...

I loved this!
And my draft blocker at my back door is my best friend from now until about April. You are doing a good work. At times doing it wrong. But a good work! ;)

Anonymous said...

I think I misunderstood upper and lower case. Silly me.

Joan (Devon)

jenny_o said...

I'd never have known if you hadn't said so! The lowercase "t" meant I was thinking of general thanksgiving, while the uppercase "T" meant our Thanksgiving holiday. But after I finished, I thought about e. e. cummings' use of lowercase in his poetry and thought what a nice coincidence that was. heh

jenny_o said...

Thanks, Diane :)

Hopefully I'll do it right more often than wrong! There's not enough time to make too many mistakes :)

dinthebeast said...

My friend Zsuzs' birthday was yesterday, and I am thankful she and her family (including the dog and cat) all made it through the fires that threatened their homes for a while.
And I am thankful for the feral cat who ate the rat who ate the tops off of all of the radishes...

-Doug in Oakland

John M said...

Nice set of photos.

Anonymous said...

I thought that was why you chose the poem, taking the lower case literally. A misunderstanding on my behalf.

Joan (Devon)

jenny_o said...

I really could have explained it better :)

jenny_o said...

I can only imagine how frightening it must have been for your friend and her family. Their safety is certainly a big thing to be thankful for.

Feral cats earn their way a lot of the time, don't they? I'd be thankful for that, too.

jenny_o said...

Thanks, John :)

Martha said...

I looooove this! I've only read part of this poem. It's a real treat to see it all. I don't know why but it makes me quite emotional.

I clicked to go to last year's post and I'm glad I did because I got a real laugh out of it!

jenny_o said...

I'm so glad on all counts! That poem gives me goosebumps, so I understand it making you emotional.

Diane Henders said...

It's been a LONG time since I read e.e. cummings - thanks for that! And good luck with those pesky draft-stoppers. My sewing machines are still packed away until our second floor is finished, and I definitely share your "oncoming train" sensation. Deep breaths...

River said...

Your amazing photos remind me that life and its seasons are just one big amazing cycle of thankfulness.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

GIVING THANKS

A lone ant carries a tiny crumb
Manoeuvring it expertly homeward.
A pigeon feather floats from a tree
Floating majestically downward.
A hermit rises awkwardly in its heavy shell
Crabbing seaward.
Regrets rear their accusing heads but
We shall press forward
Thankful for this gift of life.

jenny_o said...

I'm taking so many deep breaths I'm hyperventilating, Diane!!

jenny_o said...

Well put, River :)

jenny_o said...

Nicely done, YP. I wish I had your talent in poetry-writing!

dinthebeast said...

We had a really cute one, a sleek, black female come right in the house yesterday. (OK, Briana may have coaxed her a little)
Pro tip: Don't feed a hungry cat all of the tuna you have in the cupboard, you'll have laundry to do before you can go to bed...

-Doug in Oakland

baili said...

Sublime poetry my friend!

So simply and so elegantly you described the gratitude of one beautiful soul!

Loved the images you put along with your remarkable words !

A blessed and enlightened heart can contemplate over the countless blessings bestowed upon by Creator and can stay peaceful and content.

jenny_o said...

Poor thing was probably too hungry for too long . . . or had eaten something "off" in desperation. Do you have a new kitty now??

jenny_o said...

I wish they were my words but I can't take credit for them! The author is e. e. cummings and he has written a lot of poetry, much of it very good. Thank you for your kind words!

dinthebeast said...

Nope. That kitty lives across the street, and was just establishing a more extensive network of human slaves...
My housemate John said he's thinking of getting another cat, and while I still miss Kitters, it was such a relief to have a cat in the house again that I'm totally good with the idea.

-Doug in Oakland

jenny_o said...

And there are so many cats that need a good home.

If Kitters comes back, you'll just have two cats instead of one.

LL Cool Joe said...

When I clicked on the link it said it was dangerous and not to enter the site. How dangerous can draft blockers be! I bought one off of Amazon recently, it was plain black and boring, but it does the job. I hope yours sell well, apart from the 2 you messed up. :D

Love the poem too.

jenny_o said...

That's weird - it's the Bed, Bath & Beyond (US) website . . . lucky you know what I meant :) I fixed the two I messed up, so all is not lost!

dinthebeast said...

Apparently so, as the black one came back and stayed here last night, and does not, in fact, live where we thought she did.
Big test coming up later today when our friend Zsuzs and her goofy pitbull, Timber come by for a visit.
Kitters used to hide in the loft in the garage, but the new cat doesn't know about that place, so we'll see how it works out.

-Doug in Oakland

jenny_o said...

Good luck! Cats can usually find any hiding spot worthy of the name, given a bit of a head start.