American Thankfulness – A Poem

There will be commentary on this poem at the end. Thank you for reading.

Commentary, i.e. rant

American Thankfulness – A Poem

Today it seemed thoughts were heavier than yesterday

But less than tomorrow’s dream you hoped to have instead

Let us greet Thanksgiving with a word of thanks to you

Thankfulness is something we’re told to feel

What kind of person isn’t thankful?

Be thankful for today

Be thankful for taking a breath

Be thankful to know another

Be thankful for a friend

Be thankful you can walk

Be thankful you can sigh

Be thankful for the ground

Be thankful for the sky

Be thankful you can’t afford to buy

A can of food even a cat hasn’t tried

Be thankful the cold is felt

Because the heater just broke

Be thankful your shoes and socks and undies all have holes

Costs keep going up but the paycheck grows smaller

So, keep wearing those holy things, it’s building character and holiness

Be thankful the rich gave you a job

A photo of a plant under a light because… just because

Despite being paid less as they make more with each passing day

Be thankful you live in a country that tells you you’re free

And yet more are incarcerated than any other free country

Be thankful for jails because they have roofs

Be thankful for a car, oh yes gas prices have gone down

But then when it breaks you know you’ll never get it fixed

Two to three-thousand was just used for that mortgage you don’t have

Be thankful you can walk on two legs

Unless one happens to break

Be thankful they’ll lower drug prices

When you’re too healthy for meds will it matter in the end?

Maybe you’d just like a decent meal, instead of a pill

Be thankful there are so many choices of food in this bloated economy

You’ll be the one standing in the aisle watching others able to pay

But ramen is only nineteen cents, and pasta is less than a buck

Be thankful you can slowly starve

Because starving quickly is so much worse

Today is a day of thanks for turkey and all the trimming

For the first year you can’t even afford that pricey ill-fated bird

Be thankful vegetarianism is still a thing

Except, produce prices keep going up in this pandemic-laced world

Be thankful the news will laugh and guffaw at those silly poor

Who work 40, 50, 60-hour weeks and still can’t afford to feed,

Their children and their dogs, their cats and friends who were sadly used

Be thankful you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t

Be thankful, be thankful, be thankful for it all

For tomorrow you’ll have less and then be more depressed

Be thankful they have five-dollar wine, at least you can drink and forget

To be thankful you don’t have time to cry

But be thankful because at least someone out there will be doing okay

Whether you’re thankful or not, nobody takes the blame

The country is run by the rich, and the more, and the same

To be thankful is a freedom we don’t yet have

Because tomorrow you go to work and since when do you have time to think

Of being thankful… anyway

FINI

There’s my poem for today. It’s very depressing and sad. I know people want cheery and positive things. It’s what we are wired to hear and accept. It’s our life because maybe depression is what is at the heart of us all, and so we want something outside of ourselves or unlike ourselves.

I wanted to be positive today. I’m sure I’ll be positive tomorrow. I hope you all had a good day of thanks. I’m sure you all have something to be thankful for today. I’m sorry I was being negative and depressing.

I’ll be honest. I see more and more people, families, on the street with signs asking for the simplest of things: food, diapers, just a little help for rent, electricity, gas.

I live in an affluent city, and yet they are on every corner. I met a woman who was crying with four kids. How do we sit by and watch this?

Our lawmakers right now, are on vacation for two weeks. People are starving, losing jobs, getting paid less, and our congress and senators all got raises and are on a two week vacation. Let that sink in.

I asked for three days off and could only get two days off because our business is doing well and they can’t afford us having time off, but they were able to remove our bonuses this year, because they’re making more money.

THEY GOT TWO WEEKS!

And you know who isn’t on vacation? The ones working to keep this country running. They are called “essential workers.” You know what? They are people who have no other choice but to work tirelessly and for little pay. Yes, essential for their livelihood.

Something has to change. I’m just not sure how to make that change.

Have a good day of seeking and searching and I hope you all find what you are looking for. If you feel so compelled please write me a comment or follow this blog. Thank you. 😉

I love you Gracie, so, so, so much! You are my blessing. 🙂 ❤ ❤ ❤