Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-11-25


past have embodied their gratitude
for the blessings of the year in verse.
At times the burden of their song has
Incorporated the time honored custom
by which one day Of the year is set
apart for the giving Of thanks.
Perhaps Thanksgiving recalls to
] them mothers ingenuity and skill in
making pumpkin pies, and SO In a
quantity humorous way the poet pays
tribute to the pumpkin and the prod
uct thereof.
: Again the spirit of these November
poems embOdies Thanksgiving JOY
and freedom from sorrow; for health
and happiness; for things spiritual and
+, physical.
! At any rate, ever since Thanksgiv-
, ing has been proclaimed national
holiday the poet has found inspiration
for his art and by means Of his verses
has awakened sympathetic chord In
the breasts Of many men and women.
(, Although nearly all of the poems of
James Whitcomb Riley contain an es-
sence of this spirit of gratitude with
the existing order Of things, some Of
these are specifically devoted to the
day itself Among these the poem
entitled Thanksgiving" is one of the
best.
Let US be thankful-not only because
Since last our universal thanks were
+, told
We have grown greater in the worlds
\, applause.
And fortunes newer smiles surpass the
! old
But thankful for all things that come as
From out the open hand of Providence.
The winter clouds and storms-the sum-
mer calms-
The sleepless dread-the browse of In
dolence
Let us be thankful-thankful for the
Whose gracious answers were long
long delayed.
That they might fall upon us unawares
And bless us. az In greater need we
prayed.
Let us be thankful for the loyal hand
That love held out in welcome to oul
When love. and only love. could under.
The need Of touches We had never
known.
Let us be thankful for the longing eye.
That gave their secret to US As they
wept,
Yet in return found. with q sweet sur
prise,
Loves touch upon their lids. and. smil
And let u.s. too. be thankful that thu
| tears
OF sorrow have not all been drained
away.
That through them still. for all the com
! Ing years.
We may look on the dead face Of today
| Will Carleton, the New England
poet, strikes the universal note O
thanks In his hymn, part of which
follows:
We thank Thee. Father. for all that 4
The CLEAN of the day and the stars o
| the night;
The flowers of our youth and the fruit
| Of our prime,
And the blessings that march down tn
/ pathways of time.
We thank Thee. o Father. for all tina
III Is drear-
The sob OF the tempest. the now OF tn
II tear;
n For never in blindness and never In val
Thy mercy permitted a sorrow or pain.
II The spirit of unembittered resigna
ton at approaching death is ez
pressed in poem by Edith NJ. Thoma
on "A Last Thanksgiving"
When II is time for me to 60
Time of the rose-or falling snow
II Or when new winds wake vernal strif
This to the world I've cherished So
"I have been thankful for my life.
When night and shade together flow.
When dawns some scene not yet know
ii Let me draw back one nuttering breatl
To say, to all I've loved below,
II IT have been thankful-in my death!'
How John Quit the Farm" is
narrative poem by the Hoosier poe
| and combines pathos as well as QUAR-