A New Thanksgiving Tradition: Posting Gratitude Poems

My "grateful for" words of the year. Wordle.net

I started this blog of the senses, a writer's journal, a sensorium, to be more aware of sights, sounds, tastes, touches, smells and experiences in day-to-day life. I included an "extra" sense section to record dreams, ideas, and quotes (whatever more ethereal senses that weren't captured in the more worldly ones) — it functions as a commonplace book. It began in 2007 and I had no idea I would continue on with it for so long. At the end of each year, I compile my "best of the year" (most notable or memorable senses might be more accurate). Last year, for the first time, I also added a "worst of the year" post.

In 2011, around Thanksgiving time, I added a "grateful for" section. That was also the year I made the Adopt-A-Turkey program part of my Thanksgiving tradition. Payton was my first turkey. In 2013, I celebrated my 25 vegetarian anniversary (Clove was my turkey that year). In 2014, I decided to write a poem compiling all the gratitude words of that year.

This year, I've expanded upon that Thanksgiving poetry tradition by writing four poems: two imperfect sestinas (inspired by the book Obsession: Sestinas in the Twenty-First Century) and two odes (because I recorded two "perfect day" senses in the gratitude sections this year which seemed to suit passionate odes). See a perfect day and Perfect Day #2.

I'll be publishing these poems (a hodge-podge of all the "grateful for" senses) one each day Monday through Thursday of Thanksgiving week. I do find that this practice has made me more aware of the senses each day and more grateful, mindful and present.