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Home Poetry Culture

‘The Eve of Thanksgiving’: A Poem by Anna J. Arredondo

November 22, 2023
in Culture, Humor, Poetry
A A
21
Traditional homemade roasted Thanksgiving Day turkey dinner. Top-view table scene on a dark wood banner background. Turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, pumpkin pie, and sides.

Traditional homemade roasted Thanksgiving Day turkey dinner. Top-view table scene on a dark wood banner background. Turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, pumpkin pie, and sides.

.
.

The Eve of Thanksgiving

‘Tis the eve of Thanksgiving, and all through the class,
The students are wishing the time would soon pass.
Though it’s nodes, modes, and frequencies they’re told to find,
Bright visions of turkeys sashay through each mind.
Though the pencils are poised over notebooks with care,
All the students are drifting; their thoughts are not there,
But rather they stray to tomorrow’s great feast
Whose abundance, before their minds’ eye, has increased:
Steaming biscuits and muffins in baskets recline,
Next to butter and honey, and jam in a line,
Mashed potatoes are heaped in a mountainous pile,
Near the turkey, which poses in elegant style.
In addition there’s relish and stuffing enough
And that cranberry goop (‘cause some folks like the stuff).
Then of course, after all, come the marvelous pies,
Both a feast for the stomach and feast for the eyes…
With such treats tantalizing, the class flies right by.
The students awake from their visions and sigh.
With eyes glazed and dreamy they gather their things,
While through each scholar’s head a most thankful voice rings.
It sounds and resounds, as they leap to their feet,
“Happy eating to all! And a bon appetit!”
.
.
..
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A Pennsylvania native now residing in Colorado, Anna J. Arredondo is an engineer by education, a home educator by choice, and by preference, a poet. She also has poems published (or forthcoming) in The Lyric, Time of Singing, Light, Blue Unicorn, Better Than Starbucks, and WestWard Quarterly.
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Comments 21

  1. Paul A. Freeman says:
    3 years ago

    Mouth-wateringly good poem, Anna.

    Thanks for the read.

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo says:
      3 years ago

      Thank you, Paul. I wrote this in class my senior year of college… 25 years ago! I’m happy to finally share it.

      Reply
      • Paul A. Freeman says:
        3 years ago

        Funnily enough, I’ve submitted a Thanksgiving poem I wrote almost a decade ago – let’s see.

        Reply
  2. Norma Pain says:
    3 years ago

    I enjoyed your Thanksgiving poem very much Anna. A feast for the ears. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo says:
      3 years ago

      Thank you, Norma!

      Reply
  3. Shamik Banerjee says:
    3 years ago

    It’s a flavourful Thanksgiving poem, Anna. It kept a smile on my face the whole time. Also, I could relate well to nodes, modes, and frequencies. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo says:
      3 years ago

      Thank you, Shamik. I’ve been out of touch with the nodes, modes, and frequencies for a while now, but glad you can relate!

      Reply
  4. Cynthia Erlandson says:
    3 years ago

    Truly a feast for the ears and the imagination! Clement C. Moore would be proud of your perfect anapestic echoes of his famous poem. Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo says:
      3 years ago

      Thank you, Cynthia. A happy Thanksgiving to you as well!

      Reply
  5. Rohini says:
    3 years ago

    A Delicious feast of rhythm and rhyme and all things sublime!

    Reply
  6. Scott Nems says:
    3 years ago

    lovely poem — just wets my appetite

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo says:
      3 years ago

      Thank you, Rohini and thank you, Scott. Bon apetit!

      Reply
  7. Margaret Coats says:
    3 years ago

    Relishing your style, Anna. Hope your students enjoy the feast after learning celebratory table setting–and God bless the cook!

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo says:
      3 years ago

      Thank you, Margaret. As to the celebratory table setting, maybe later… My students are currently eating dino nuggets up in their friends’ tree house, nary a tablecloth or napkin in sight! Happy Thanksgiving and God bless!

      Reply
  8. Roy Eugene Peterson says:
    3 years ago

    Anna, I have been there dreaming of Thanksgiving Day and a couple of days off from school. Well done! Happy Thanksgiving to you!

    Reply
  9. Allegra Silberstein says:
    3 years ago

    Thanks for sharing this delicious poem and happy Thanksgiving.

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo says:
      3 years ago

      Thank you, Roy, and thank you, Allegra. A happy Thanksgiving to you and yours as well!

      Reply
  10. Hari Hyde says:
    3 years ago

    I’m thankful for this upbeat treat. I envisioned your engineering class beguiled by the modes, nodes, and frequencies of their own viand-wired wits.

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo says:
      3 years ago

      Thank you, Hari. “…viand-wired wits” 🙂 🙂

      Reply
  11. Susan Jarvis Bryant says:
    3 years ago

    A mouthwateringly scrumptious poem that is the perfect prelude to a Thanksgiving feast. I note you wrote it when you were at college… Anna, you were obviously destined to be a poet! Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
    • Anna J. Arredondo says:
      3 years ago

      Thank you, Susan! My Thanksgiving was spent with family and friends “in your neck of the woods” (as though “in Texas” were a precise enough location for that expression). I hope your Thanksgiving was lovely, and I’m looking forward to reading your latest offerings once on the road home…

      Reply

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