A Covid Thanksmas
remember those
traditional
Thanksgiving Day ways
that started a week ahead
with cleaning the house
and thawing the turkey
three days in advance
and getting up at 6 AM
to bake casseroles
and ice desserts
and set the table
with wedding gift China
and chill the wine
and polish the silver
and buff the crystal
and arrange the
fake fall leaf centerpiece
to impress?
remember the days of aprons
because we wore
our good clothes
to the formal dinner table
where the masses
of family members
from different sides
feeling awkward
with each other
sat up straight
with napkins
in laps
for the high noon
scripted prayer?
and someone
always got stuck
next to that “one”
but nobody could
relax and
forget a few manners
because of
etiquette-spectations?
Covid’s
twisted the turkey
this year
and we can
hate the sickness
but be thankful
for some changes
we drove our
CDC-defined household
down south
and parked it
in the backyard
and overslept
with the dogs
between us
it’s Thanksmas
and there are
no rigid rules
we’re combining the holidays
and extending the visit
we’ll get up
brush our teeth and hair
wear jeans
and flip-flops
and eat
when we’re hungry
at whatever time
we pick
we’ll play cornhole
and Scrabble
and Pie Face
and cards
and drink coffee
and talk
we’ll watch
Christmas movies
and offer our own
silent prayers
of thanks
throughout the day
thanking God
for those we love
and include the kids
in saying
the big blessing
and take naps
we’ll use paper plates
and Solo cups
at picnic tables outside
and share scraps
with the five dogs
even a sibling burping contest
isn’t out of the question
we’ll start a fire
and roast marshmallows
and make s’mores
and drink hot chocolate
and watch kids
open presents
play scientist
have a tea party
with a princess
and set up
a new nativity
we’ll look at old photos
and tell stories
and laugh
even unbuttoning our jeans
after too much pie
is not out of the question
a pandemic
has
its holiday blessings
Common Threads 