the deepening ground

Psalm 100

A psalm of thanksgiving.

¹ Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
²     Worship the Lord with gladness.
    Come before him, singing with joy.
³ Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
    He made us, and we are his.
    We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
    go into his courts with praise.
    Give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good.
    His unfailing love continues forever,
    and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

There’s really little to add to this quintessential psalm of thanksgiving from the Bible, but I will hazard this poetic response and call to gratitude. When we keep our eyes fixed on the right things, gratitude becomes the natural overflow of joy and praise to Him who holds all things, knows all things, and offers hope that baffles the simpleminded.

The poem began as a free-writing assignment for my creative writing students in which they were tasked to write a poem on the theme of thanksgiving/gratitude using the following five words: cornucopia, dressing, harvest, pilgrim, and feast. May your plates overflow with gratitude, may you never eat your fill of thanks, and may you savor the sights, smells, and sounds of life that surround you as you sit down to the feast that has been set before you, regardless of the times. Look into the eyes of those you love and remember together!

Thanksgiving

Vincent H. Anastasi 2020

Feast of free access,
gate key to the better
than brimming cornucopia,
quadruple-horned altar,
ever approachable refuge,
covenantal abundance
for every fugitive pilgrim.

Here we exchange yokes,
here heave heaviness
for a harvest-hope,
dressing of praise.
Soul’s incense,
fragrance of first-fruits
rising remaining seated,
let every expiration embers enflame
awaking latent fires
to burn the brighter blaze!