A Litany of Thanksgiving

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I wrote this poem shortly after my brother's funeral. He suffered from depression and other mental illness most of his adult life. Yet he practiced gratitude in ways unknown by many of us. I tried to entwine many of his favorite sayings within the body of the poem, "Rich worked hard.". I had no idea how much I would miss his silent courage in the face of debilitating illness. It caused me to redefine success as Not being how much you accomplish but who you are.

The highway bridges
Remnants of conversation 
Clothed in ethereal blue.
Variform clouds
Stark white or gray
Bandage my heart.

Brother’s litany
Of thanksgiving
Floats above my head.
Mom and dad were
Good parents.
They worked hard.
Cemetery gates swallow us
Sleek and black
Like a raven
Plucking its prey.
Attendees’ musings are
Wetness on the
Road’s cheeks
Tactile as a 
Cat’s tongue
Freshening the spirit

Words of gratitude
Misty as memory’s yesterday
Rich worked hard
He did very well for himself.
Puzzle pieces fit tightly
Brothers’ faces, Sister’s words
Cathartic like a cloak’s
Feathery embraces.

Drops of rain 
Shower blessings
Prayers of thanksgiving
From another time
Diane is a beautiful girl.
Bill is smart.
How is Maureen?

Is he still here?
Yes.
How do I know?
Sunshine branching
Apple twigs glimmering
Meanwhile traffic
Normal as a busy
Day’s waking and sleeping

The wrought iron gates open
Spilling family out
Like white markers with
Blank dates

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John Fleming

Date: 5/11/2017 9:18:00 AM

If a departed Soul is sometimes fondly recalled, albeit fleetingly, when on occasion a body pauses for just the briefest of moments throughout the hectic day...Then that is all a soul could wish for from this turbulent world of ours...Beautifully penned! My very warmest regards, Kathleen...And my very best wishes. Your friend :) john

Kathleen Kroll
Date: 5/11/2017 9:36:00 AM

Thanks, John! My brother had a difficult life. He suffered from depression and occasional bouts of schizophrenia. Admittedly there were wells of anger. Yet he always found things to be grateful for. And he had the courage to undergo treatments that could be painful. He is a lesson in respecting a person for who he is and not what he does. I hope just a little of that comes through here. I'm thinking of rewriting and expanding (though it could lose some of the flavor of the original).

Kathleen Kroll

Date: 5/26/2016 10:19:00 AM

Thanks so much, Becca! Appreciate your visit! Kathy

Becca Teagan

Date: 5/26/2016 10:10:00 AM

hmmmm this flows really nicely and really makes the reader think... I love that final stanza. Enjoyed reading this today.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 5/21/2016 5:45:00 PM

Such an interesting way to characterize a day such as this one. All the chit chat that goes on and then they spill out the gates like white markers with blank dates What an awesome final line!!