Thursday, November 22, 2012


This is going to be a very short post, as I am still behind in Nano, in spite of my furious efforts not to be, and I am feeling guilty taking time out of writing to do a post. I present a poem, by Sgt. Joyce Kilmer:


Thanksgiving

(For John Bunker)


The roar of the world is in my ears.
Thank God for the roar of the world!
Thank God for the mighty tide of fears
Against me always hurled!


Thank God for the bitter & ceaseless strife,
And the sting of His chastening rod!
Thank God for the stress & the pain of life,
And Oh, thank God for God!





Joyce Kilmer is my favourite American poet. He was quite a character, but a good man through and through. He fought with the Fighting 69th in the first World War, and he wrote some fantastic poetry during his time in France, though you will seldom find him listed amongst the poets who came out of that conflict - which is really a shame. I love the courage in poem, and I want to be like that too.

PS. For all of you who have been so nice about commenting, and to whom I have been so remiss in responding, thanks muchly. I appreciate the comments, and I will be better about it once November is well away.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think I, too, have found my new favorite poet! That was very inspiring! Gina

Mahri said...

I'm glad you like it. Poor Joyce Kilmer is usually only remembered because he wrote the poem "Trees". You know, "I think that I shall never see/ A poem as lovely as a tree." But he wrote some many other poems that are much better than that!