thank you

Locations

Listen
with the night falling we are say thank you
we are stopping on the bridges to bow from the railings
we are running out of the glass rooms
with our mouths full of food to look at the sky
and say thank you
we are standing by the water thanking it
smiling by the windows looking out
in our directions

back from a series of hospitals back from a mugging
after funerals we are say thank you
after the news of the dead
whether or not we knew them we say thank you

over telephones we say thank you
in doorways and in the backs of cars and in elevators
remembering wars and the police at the door
and the beatings on stairs we are saying thank you
in the banks we are saying thank you
in the faces of the officials and the rich
and of all who will never change
we go on saying thank you thank you

with people dying around us
our lost feelings we are saying thank you
with the economy failing faster than the minute a child can't read
of our lives we are say thank you
with the words going out like cells of a brain
with the cities growing over us
we are saying thank you faster and faster
with nobody listening we are saying thank you
we are saying thank you and waving

despite our darkest hour

 

Guide that inspired this poem: 

Comments

Chris Tallagher

This reminds me of the line from Stevie Smith's poem, "Not waving, but drowning" and also Roald Dahl's short story in the same vein.

You point out something interesting; this poem made me think about just how often I say "thank you", and its meaning in society.

MVP-Most Valuable Poet

thank you for the comment

this poem is very humbling because it's easy to be angry when there is injustice, racism, contradictions, etc

it's no use to being angry, doesn't help

what helps is learning about one's history and using all the hardships to motivate us in being better human beings

also,  by saying thank you in this poem, i wanted to viewers to understand that history has awaken us, sharpen our intellects, and simply have something to fight for

check out my other poems my brother

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