In the gray dawn
trees are quiet
with winter sleep,
black crows
on the rooftop
the only birds.

The city is stripped of joy,
weary of struggle.
Thankfulness
hard to come by
yet it is the gift
I place on the morning altar
to comfort the bereft
in the hours before first light.

 

photograph by Louis MacKenzie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author reading of “Before First Light” with music by Chris Hinze

 

 

16 Responses

  1. Thankfulness, and its sister gratitude. I lift this to the altar with you today. Beautiful gift to this world, just as it is. Precious poem today, Don.

  2. Don,
    This is small and lovely shimmering moment.
    Well done—thank you.

  3. Gratitude (Thankfulness) is my/our Cosmotic connection to all received thru Heart and shared from Heart to mind and back again as I/we choose. Beautiful reminder this still foggy morning Brother.❤️

  4. To me, thankfulness is the portal through which flows Love.
    Let the bereft feel it’s power and wisdom.

  5. Thank you, Don, for this focus of the spirit of thankfulness. It illuminates all things with the message that all is well.

  6. Don, the poem truly has the tone of a morning, right down to the crows. I am a fan of crows.

  7. Yes.
    .
    Thankfulness
    hard to come by
    yet it is the gift
    I place on the morning altar
    to comfort the bereft
    in the hours before first light.
    .
    There is such a thirst, in so many bereft and confused, for this simple comfort. I offer this gift with you.

  8. “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” Aesop. Overflowing with thankfulness. Ed

  9. “To comfort the bereft” —-Immediately the bereft of Ukraine spring to mind. Today I attended a beautiful concert of works by Debussy and Chopin, performed by the Health and Wellness Community Orchestra here In Fort Collins, Colorado. The performance ended with an invitation to stand while the orchestra played the Ukraine National Anthem. This was very moving, especially knowing that orchestras around the world are currently ending their performances this way. The sense of connection with great numbers of musicians everywhere, all extending support to the people of Ukraine, was palpable.

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