Thanksgiving
*
Every Thanksgiving
I would drive,
walk,
or go to a café
to refresh myself
to dig deeper
or let my thoughts
find the fire,
the Indians, the maze
the Pilgrims, the turkeys
and how they ate, drank, hugged, and danced—
sweet memories of the brotherhood of men
< Take this crossbow or your matchlock,
go to that spot; there will be plenty of deers, beavers, or rabbits
Take this spear, train your eyes, learn the movement of the fish;
aim your spear and strike
Grow this corn in blocks, learn its times, then collect your crop
Go to the hillcrest with me tonight to listen the wolves
howling at the moon;
feel that calling, longing
the whole earth, the moon, night sky seem echoing that howling-calling;
your heart wants to join in that unity
and sip the drops of the moon
Let’s dance this corn dance: hear the joy’s rhythm, turn your body, kick your feet
up and down like this …
Do you see how our people thank the gods and Mother Nature’
Do you see how we communicate with them ? >
Stories like those soothe the heart and lift spirit
And, this year, I would listen to my daughter
play “Colors of the Wind” again
even though I doubt the romance between
Smith and Pocahontas,
but the fostering behind,
a gift born out of sudden
realization that
men do not win with wars
is always a great reminder
and, again, I think of Abraham Lincoln, that bearded face and gentle heart,
who made Thanksgiving a national holiday
I am giving thanks to America ,
its soldiers who died in my old country,
its people for the caring heart
We came in ships, or boats,
from tents in Guam, Wake islands, or Thailand , Malaysia etc.—
heart broken, spirit shattered
after the war
You opened your arms to take us in;
gave us a chance to live and work
and put a roof on our heads
None of us will ever forget this heart-warming
kindness and generosity.
This country has given my old fellow countrymen
care and services;
It has enlightened the sense of Freedom in me
It has “given” me Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson;
delighted me with “The Pursuit of Happiness”,
shined and resounded in my heart
with its crowned “ The Declaration of Independence”
Rain falls again
this second day of Thanksgiving weekend
in this wonderful County of the Angels, Los Angeles
Certainly it will enrich the soil;
New shoots certainly wish to thank the sweet, beautiful drops.
if they can speak our languages,
for bestowing their regeneration
If this earth usually receives frequent rains of
benevolence and kindness,
then many a great harmony and bond
will appear among men, animals and things
like shoots of life, miracle, and peace
as chapters in Buddhists’ sutras
open our hearts and minds to
do good, live in peace, harmony
and reap the rewards of
Happiness and Tranquility.
Wherever you are, especially in our old fatherland,
even if life has slipped into a
very sad, downgrade turn
I believe, you would still have something to give thanks to
( it’s a matter of calculating chances in life )
and don’t forget
Life sometimes has to come to some great hurdles, or dead ends
but keep up your Spirit, your Hope
and your Overcoming Determination
O, Gratia Magna
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Hiền Minh
Thanksgiving 2013
------
On Thanksgiving Day
The day started fresh--
clear inauguration of warmth and remembrance
hollered
The day started fresh--
clear inauguration of warmth and remembrance
hollered
Drove down the road
to the coffee shop, sat down,
let the thoughts find way to converge
Man swim to the other shore
on their last breath before succumbing
to say
I love you
There were things to embrace
The open horizon widened and widened
Thanks, Luu Quang Vu, Ha Si Phu, Hoang Minh Chinh
Thanks, Loretta
and others
Once the brotherhood of men is not a mere word,
it is real
as the tears in the eyes,
as hands holding hands in grace;
outside
history is roaming aimlessly.
Nov. 25, 2000
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