Listen to this beautiful thank you

And so on this day of thanks, if you are looking for inspiration for words to say around the table, to one another, please consider the magnificent poem “Listen” by W.S. Merwin.

It’s not sentimental. It’s not sweet. It’s not Hallmarky. Rather, he expresses gratitude, despite all the pain, suffering and ugliness in the world.

Read the entire poem here to see for yourself.

Here’s a sampling:

Listen
with the night falling we are saying thank you
we are stopping on the bridges to bow from the railings
we are running out of the glass rooms
with our mouths full of food to look at the sky
and say thank you
we are standing by the water thanking it
smiling by the windows looking out
in our directions

back from a series of hospitals back from a mugging
after funerals we are saying thank you
after the news of the dead
whether or not we knew them we are saying thank you

(S-R file photo)