Thanksgiving poem

[jokerman93]

Sweet Challah
Jack cheese and pastilles
Red wine from the next county
That you brought for us today
Cold Braeburn apples
Two crystal glasses
Your undeserved beauty
And your unexpected love...

Out there
Where humanity falters
I hear no traffic sounds today
No clamor of cranes
No construction by the bridge
No human voices
In the city

On the Cherry wood counter
By the bowl of walnuts
My fighting knife --
Left from different days
In my life when
Our armies prepared
Like heroic children
For the bodybags
And the coming terrors
For the lies of ministers
And politicians

You take the black steel
Blade in your hand
Pare an apple with it
You pour wine for us

Down in the court yard
Fallen leaves pick up
In the wind and swirl
Making dust of themselves
Imperceptibly

You hand me a plate
Of cut apple and soft cheese

Ask me --
What should anyone
Willingly die for?

~cmr