PhillySound: new poetry

Poet Tom Raworth e-mailed this image today from his home in England, with the simple note, "Thanks to you too." Wow.

A few days ago I decided that there was no way I was going to join in the celebration of Thanksgiving Day as I have every year of my life in the past. In fact, when I started thinking of celebrating Thanksgiving the past three years I thought, "What was wrong with me!?" All these people being killed in Iraq and elsewhere because of America, why why why, why should we be celebrating a day of thanks?

Maybe it's good to alter how it's celebrated, being with family, being grateful for family, etc., but from its infancy, the holiday was centered on celebrating early American arrival, which of course turned out to REALLY BE an invasion, an occupation, and slaughter. Sort of like Iraq.

I wish there was a turkey target over Iraq.

If we're not out of Iraq next year I want to start spreading the word of a THANKSGIVING DAY FAST FOR PEACE. Especially since the day is traditionally a day of eating as much food as humanly possible in one sitting.

And also, let me say, I've never fasted before today. Isn't that weird? Everyone I talk to says they can't believe it. But even when I was macrobiotic for ten years I never fasted. But this fast is a personal political protest. And maybe if I had thought about it sooner I could have included others in the day with me. My family is really pissed off. Oh well.

Tom Raworth liked my idea of the fast, wishing me, "Non appetit!" and suggested that maybe we should all have a SHIT-IN, where we send bags of our Thanksgiving Day shit in plastic bags to the White House. HEHEHE!

CAConrad
p.s. here's a vegetarian Thanksgiving Day flash card by Jacquie Lawson.