So That You Know

*Monnie’s vintage white linen cloth, five waterglasses of low cut flowers, large Chardonnay and Pinot Noir glasses*

*Elizabeth made Pomegranate + Ginger Paloma Cocktails*

*We used every dish and every flat surface in the immediate vicinity*

Last night we celebrated Thanksgiving at home, and in a group family test message several days before the big meal, I asked everyone to bring a poem of their choice to read at the table.

*I put makeup on early in the day and changed into my holiday jumpsuit just before dinner*. *I’ve worn this new piece three times already, it’s going to be on my regular rotation.*

*absolutely love when everyone is in the kitchen*

*I wrote my poem at the very last minute with cocktail close by*

To switch things up a bit, I thought poetry reading might be pleasant, and it proved to be both a challenging and rewarding exercise. Challenging as poetry is sometimes tricky, emotional, and rewarding as it got us all into reading text and prose we might typically not.

*Turkey dinner never really looks that amazing, yet it really was delicious this year*

We usually go around the table and share what we are grateful for, and yes, we have many blessings. By each of us reciting a poem, we could go a little deeper and hang a little longer onto the evening that took days to prepare. Of course, I used just about every dish in the house and was on my feet for hours giving glory to the bird and the accompaniments; it was lovely to sit and linger and let the time finally unfold.

There were poems recited by widely read authors, poems by contemporary authors, a long discussion about the phrase ‘pale blue dot,’ and several of us wrote and shared our own words.

Here, along with the food, was my contribution:

Just So You Know

I sometimes roll my empty wine glass under our bed

Always thinking of you because I’m in bed first

Cooking is a thing because feeding those I love helps me feel loved

And we are all hoping and looking for love

Cooking is a thing because I’ve always been hungry and hope always to be hungry

If today were the last day, I would be happy as our table is full, and my heart is warm

So that you know, it’s all about you