Thanksgiving- 2011

 

A Thanksgiving To God, For His House

Lord, Thou hast given me a cell

         Wherein to dwell,

A little house, whose humble roof

         Is weather-proof:

Under the spars of which I lie

         Both soft, and dry;

Where Thou my chamber for to ward

         Hast set a guard

Of harmless thoughts, to watch and keep

         Me, while I sleep.

Low is my porch, as is my fate,

         Both void of state;

And yet the threshold of my door

         Is worn by th' poor,

Who thither come and freely get

         Good words, or meat.

Like as my parlour, so my hall

         And kitchen's small;

A little buttery, and therein

         A little bin,

Which keeps my little loaf of bread

         Unchipp'd, unflead;

Some brittle sticks of thorn or briar

         Make me a fire,

Close by whose living coal I sit,

         And glow like it.

Lord, I confess too, when I dine,

         The pulse is Thine,

And all those other bits, that be

         There plac'd by Thee;

The worts, the purslain, and the mess

         Of water-cress,

Which of Thy kindness Thou hast sent;

         And my content

Makes those, and my beloved beet,

         To be more sweet.

'Tis Thou that crown'st my glittering hearth

         With guiltless mirth;

And giv'st me wassail-bowls to drink,

         Spic'd to the brink.

Lord, 'tis Thy plenty-dropping hand

         That soils my land;

And giv'st me, for my bushel sown,

         Twice ten for one;

Thou mak'st my teeming hen to lay

         Her egg each day;

Besides my healthful ewes to bear

         Me twins each year;

The while the conduits of my kine

         Run cream, for wine.

All these, and better, Thou dost send

         Me, to this end,

That I should render, for my part,

         A thankful heart,

Which, fir'd with incense, I resign,

         As wholly Thine;

But the acceptance, that must be,

         My Christ, by Thee.

-Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

  www.poets.org

Wishing all Athenaeum/Sic Semper readers, commenters, & posters

a lovely Thanksgiving holiday spent with family & friends.

-Maureen Lang

 

Comments

[Patrick Lang]

My wife's discovery of our Mayflower connection means that my sister Maureen and I had ancestors at that first Thanksgiving. pl

[At the Virginia Capes]

Inspiring words from Herrick. Many thanks to Maureen for bring them to our attention.

Sir, as a Virginian, you should not forget the thanksgiving at Berkeley Plantation on December 14, 1619, one year prior to the thanksgiving in Plymouth.
"Wee ordaine that the day of our ships arrival at the place assigned for plantacon in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God."

May we all remain thankful for our blessings.

[Patrick Lang]

AVC

I have always maintained that the true first Thanksgiving was here among us. I should have said the "first Yankee" Thanksgiving. pl

[Jim Ticehurst]

Thnk You Maureen...Its a wonderful poem to Read..and My Best Wishes to you and yours for a Great Thanksgiving Day..I am sure You will be celebrating it...with aa Thankful Heart..God Bless and Keep you Well...

[At the Virginia Capes]

Well stated!