Monday, November 17, 2008

Thanks Giving Prayer




Five Kernels of Corn


By Hezekiah Butterworth




"Twas the year of the famine in Plymouth of old,


The ice and the snow from the thatched roods had rolled;


And the woodpeckers tapped in the clocks of the trees;


And the bough on the slopes to the south winds lay bare,


and dreaming of summer, the buds swelled in the air.


The pale Pilgrims welcomed each reddening morn;


There were left but for rations Five Kernels of Corn.


Five Kernels of Corn! Five Kernels of Corn!


But to Bradford a feast were Five Kernels of Corn!




"Five Kernels of Corn! Five Kernels of Corn!


Ye people, be glad for Five Kernels of Corn!"


So Bradford cried out on bleak Burial Hill,


And the thin women stood on their doors, white and still.


"Lo, the harbor of Plymouth rolls bright in the Spring,


The maples grow red, and the wood robins sing,


The west wind is blowing, and fading the snow,


And the pleasant pines sing, and arbutuses blow.


Five Kernels of Corn! Five Kernels of Corn!


To each one be given Five Kernels of Corn!"




O Bradford of Austerfield hast on thy way,


The west winds are blowing e'er Provincetown Bay,


The white avens bloom, but the pine dones are chill,


And new graves have furrowed Precisioners' Hill!


"Give thanks, all ye people. the warm skies have come,


The hilltops are sunny, and green grows the hold,


And the trumpets of winds, and the white March is gone,


Five Kernels of Corn! Five Kernels of Corn!


Ye have for Thanksgiving Five Kernels of Corn!




The raven's gift eat and be humble and pray,


A new light is breaking and Truth leads your way;


One taper a thousand shall kindle; rejoice


That to you has been given the wilderness voice!"


O Bradford of Austerfield, daring the wave,


And safe through the sounding blasts leading the brave,


Of deeds such as thine was the free nation born,


And the festal world sings the "Five Kernels of Corn."


Five Kernels of Corn! Five Kernels of Corn!


The nation gives thanks for Five Kernels of Corn!"






8 comments:

Brenda said...

That's a beautiful poem and makes me so grateful for our blessings.
Brenda :)

Kathy said...

Beautiful, Alathea.
Kathy

Marnie said...

The pilgrims were amazingly strong people! We will be putting five kernel of corn at each persons place at the table this year as a reminder.

Jules said...

5 kernels of corn...could you imagine having just that? We are so blessed and often spoiled humans. Even when times are tight, God has always promised to care for us. "For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He's watching over me." If God can feed the sparrows, then He is more than capable of feeding me! Thanks for sharing!

laughinglioness.lisa@gmail.com said...

I love the poem. I love your leaf pictures = ) I love you.
HUGS.

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

I posted something similar that goes along with this. I've never heard your version before. Very nice.

Katherine

Susie Homemaker said...

What a beautiful post...and I like the idea of putting 5 kernals of corn by each place setting...what a way to remind how much we have to be thankful for...

Thank you for sharing this...
Susie

Kelli said...

Beautiful poem...I'm glad you shared it with us!
~Kelli

Warmth for Winter

* Burnt-orange nail polish
*feather-down, fleece-lined blanket
*Hot "English Breakfast" tea, if a tsp. of whipped honey
*Pictures of tropical islands
*knitted scarf
*An adorable puppy to sit on your lap
*blazing fire
* Basic Message Oil
6 tsp. carrier oil of your choice
8 srops of essential/ fragerance oil of your choice
Blend the two together, well. Warm up the oil before using - make sure to message between your fingers and your cuticals.
.... any questions?