Ode to Thanksgiving (poem) by Lloyd Lofthouse on AuthorsDen

Ode to Thanksgiving
by Lloyd Lofthouse → (All Poetry by Lloyd Lofthouse)
Rated "G" by the Author.

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In Red, White and Blue.
Thanksgiving, roast turkey, pumpkin and mince pies along with cranberry sauce; candied yams. When I was young many years ago, my family gathered— some driving hundreds of miles; the tables groaned from the load. There was laughter leading to daily, lunchtime turkey sandwiches. That ended when Christ died in my parents’ home. My mother converted from Christianity to become a Jehovah Witness. After that, I missed Thanksgiving for years, the getting together as a family, and next celebrated in Vietnam when the Marines went all out to make sure the troops had hot food: turkey, mashed potatoes and pie. I returned filthy from an all night ambush— just in time after cleaning mud from my weapons to finish eating turkey with two pieces of pumpkin pie. Historians claim that Thanksgiving can be traced to 1621 when Wampanoag Indians shared their autumn harvest with the Plymouth colonists. 1623 The English poisoned the wine at a peace conference with Powhatan leaders killing two hundred. 1637 English colonists burned alive six to seven hundred Pequot Indians. 1644 The Dutch burned a sleeping village slaughtering five hundred. 1782 Pennsylvania militiamen used hammers beating to death one hundred Christian Delaware Indians. 1818 U.S. troops attacked a non-hostile Seminole village killing ten to fifty. 1832 Battle of Bad Axe one hundred fifty Indian men, women and children killed. 1849 California’s Gold Rush 1850 California’s Bloody Island Massacre, sixty to one hundred Pomo Indians killed 1854 California’s Kaibai Creek Massacre, Forty-two Winnemem Wintu men women and children killed by white settlers. 1855 California’s Klamath River Massacres Humboldt County's “war of extermination against Indians” 1863 Idaho’s Bear River Massacre Colonel Patrick Connor’s regiment killed two hundred Indian men, women and children. July, 1863 The Battle of Gettysburg Twenty-three thousand Union dead! Twenty thousand Confederate dead! 1863 President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving. 1864 Colorado’s Sand Creek Massacre 1865-1871 California’s Yahi Massacres 1870 Marias Massacre 1871 Camp Grant Massacre 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre Archeologists claim that Indians lived in North America for more than ten thousand years. Today, I think of Thanksgiving as an excuse to step outside our busy days and nights, to gather in peace between four walls with family and friends— no other reason. The food is a bonus. 2008 The news this morning says Southern California’s Morongo Indians donated hundreds of turkeys so the poor in Oakland, California could celebrate Thanksgiving. Vietnam, Iraq; Afghanistan! Imagine the world celebrating Thanksgiving daily. ______________________________ My Splendid Concubine on You Tube

Reviewed by Chantilly Lace (Reader)

Reviewed on November 29, 2008

Excellent writing dear man...Hugss

Reviewed by Juliet Waldron

Not to mention the smallpox that had arrived courtsey of sailors which had killed millions of native people before the "celebrated" explorers of the historical record arrived. Always makes me wonder what will happen if the aliens do land...I'm not sure it'll be our germs that'll win.

Reviewed by Gwen Dickerson

Reviewed on November 28, 2008

"ode to Thanksgiving" is a heartfelt and sobering poem, Lloyd -- extremely well stated! Let us hope that America's future dealings will be truly peaceful, fair, and blessed! Happy holiday season.

Reviewed by Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner

Reviewed on November 27, 2008

Oh, this one is sad, Lloyd. While we oink out, we forget the bloody history of history ... once again. An excellent write, well penned.

(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.

Reviewed by H Cruz

Thanks for the history; As usual, we got it wrong again.

Reviewed by Andre Bendavi ben-YEHU

I can see His Holines, Poet Hesiod smiling and nodding to this instructive and inspiring work.

May You enjoy a long healthy life.

Andre Emmanuel Bendavi ben-YEHU

Reviewed by Gene Williamson

Lloyd, there must be something to be thankful for. One thing
that comes to mind is the knowledge that I have found in you
a passionate, sensitive, knowledgeable friend that I have come
to treasure. Since we can't rewrite the world's history, we
can only hope and wish that the history of the future will be
kinder. You describe in your closing lines the real meaning of
Thanksgiving: to gather in peace with family and friends. -gene.