{"id":539,"date":"2024-11-26T17:54:44","date_gmt":"2024-11-26T22:54:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/?p=539"},"modified":"2025-11-19T14:48:20","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T19:48:20","slug":"this-thanksgiving-i-am-not-alone-a-poem-by-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/this-thanksgiving-i-am-not-alone-a-poem-by-you\/","title":{"rendered":"“This Thanksgiving, I Am Not Alone” -A Poem by You"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On Tuesday, November 26th, 2024, we sent our community of young writers, parents, guardians, supporters, and educators a set of prompts and received dozens of lines of poetry in response. From all of that magic, we curated this holiday poem\u2026 by you and for you. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This Thanksgiving, I Am Not Alone”<\/strong>
By You<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am a flowering cactus, a human being, with my feet rooted in the Earth, my eyes facing the sky and my arms wrapped around my beautiful family– blood and chosen.
I am a proud and happy father and grandfather, a speck of dust at the center of my world<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am happy, loved, proud of who I am and have managed to both become and remain through trying times
And for soft tissues while I have a cold
And for everyone who pushed me to keep going 
For my mother’s wrinkled hands catching me… still… although my hair is grey <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am thankful, thankful for a kid who loves to write as much as I do. 
Thankful for having a good home, for my family and friends
Thankful for living in this country, in this city, in this community.
For my tribe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love the morning’s scent of mist
And so I will keep believing in the possibility
And will laugh out loud and dance with abandon in the forest
And I will never stop writing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe love flows through space and time bathing us in inextinguishable light and changing us forever.
I believe that everyone has something good about them, that the world is a wonderful place, we just need to be a good community member
I believe we are all born with dignity
That everyone should be loved<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I remember the sacrifices made by my family to get me here
I remember what our babies looked like when they first came home
I remember when I wasn\u2019t able to be independent. (And I am thankful for my parents who always care about me.)
I remember family gatherings with a \u201ckids table\u201d
I love laughter at the table. I believe in laughter.
And the taste of sweet potatoes, the smell of lavender and eucalyptus, the touch of my husband’s hand<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope for a world of peace and understanding that we all are different and those differences are what make for an interesting world
That we all drink a healing juice
I believe everyone has the strength to make a difference
I hope for good change, and my ability to create it
I remember being scared\u00a0
Because I love the spare ochre horizons of the American southwest
And I love the beach
And am still figuring it all out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love your hand in mine, your mirth bubbling up in my consciousness
I am thankful for the ability to learn through a time
when education is more vital than ever
I remember when my father used to remember my name
I believe in us\u2026 and will strive to keep an open heart along with an open mind
I will be kind<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I remember the smell of my grandmother’s perfume as she held me tight when I was a little girl
I know that better times are coming, not in some hoped-for world to come, but here, right here on this green earth.
I will do what I can to help make this world better than it was when I entered it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am spiced, baked, crispy, roasted, fluffed, mashed, sliced, deliciously awaiting 
I am a tennis-loving dancer,
I am a wind light in the words of the garden
I am stronger than I ever feel like I am
I will always be happy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love my community, my family, my friends 
And the feeling of light from commiserating in a shared darkness
I will celebrate Christmas with my friends this year
I love watching my children and grandchildren learn, grow, and expand their horizons
I will strive to be even more grateful <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I remember my first Broadway show – Aladdin!
I hope for snow this Christmas, and for a nice break
I hope I will grow this year
And that I will be successful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love drawing, painting, reading, and writing,
And pie,
And sleep
I hope everyone takes care of their well-being
I believe in goodness, despite evidence to the contrary,\u00a0
I believe in innate goodness
of all humanity. Love comes naturally\u00a0
I love my neighbors. All 8 billion. You should too!
You have to be taught how to hate\u00a0
We all need to lead by example<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope I can continue to express myself freely.
I believe that everyone can obtain their goals if they want to\u00a0
I hope love will always be stronger than fear, that the world will be more welcoming, inclusive and nurturing for our future generations
I believe we should break more bread together
And I hope there is a purpose and a meaning I cannot see now<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know it will be a good wrap-up to the year!
I will be nice
I will continue to stand tall against oppression
I will remain optimistic, when it becomes difficult
I know who I am or who I would like to be<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mostly, I am thankful for the night
To breathe against the midnight moon
Because I am thankful for being alive in a web of writers 
and for drifting to sleep at each day’s end<\/p>\n

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