on leaving the castle
iv.
She climbs down into this cave with a lantern in her hand, wreath topped with candles ringing her head and whispers into this darkness “No matter how dark it might seem, the light is always present, one way or another.”
I will close my eyes and squint till stars come, take it on faith, take it on faith. This is the weariest darkest time of year, bears sleep, turtles sleep, fish in the deep they go to sleep, but not us, through this approaching grey, like vampires and zombies we keep the dreadful vigil, awake long past the time we should have turned our backs, and despite so much, we raise our songs of thanksgiving.
My friend went to bed
and woke up to her mother
dead
She put the turkey in the oven and tried to get
on with thanksgiving
and I am afraid of what might happen,
and you are past fear because all’s been taken away,
run out of cliché things to say,
with no glasses left for clinging,
pewter mugs turned to plastic mugs,
we remember it’s Thanksgiving.
And I am so blessed, and there is something fucked up in me
that feels if I admit my blessings,
someone above will take them away,
I have been loved so much,
and I love as I fear Thanksgiving day
feeling forgotten cause you’ve forgotten those who loved
accepted like a prince’s due all that we’ve done,
come
give thanks upon this day
Though the walls are metal, and though the sky is grey,
you are loved with passion
And it’s thanksgiving day
Pilgrims sailed across the sea, remember the old story,
Squanto brought the beans and squash, English pilgrims
never washed
The pilgrims made America, blood they spilled,
all the Indians are in jail or killed.
The ship that came will come again, leave your dark land,
and climb right in,
in with the vagrants, in with the dolls, to our new land,
God save us all