a collection of works on giving and gratitude
“I’m working on the world, revised, improved edition,” writes Nobel Prize–winning poet Wisława Szymborska—apt words for 2023. Amid this time of extraordinary challenges, Thanksgiving reminds us to be grateful—for those near and far, and for the stories that inform, remind, and inspire us. With that thought in mind, here is this year’s Gratitude collection: stunning works that explore the challenges and rewards of giving. From our table to yours, thank you for being part of our story.
Ifeoma Sesiana Amobi
A Small Blip on an Eternal Timeline
The Pushcart Prize series, 2022
The kiss lingered there. Hope flew into my chest.
Madelena Grossmann
Refuge
She had found the center of herself.
Angie Kang
This Place We Call Home
Her family was still poor and hungry and scared.
Mary-Louise Parker
Dear Orderly
I care only about the little body wiggling in that bassinet.
Alberto Álvaro Ríos
When Giving Is All We Have
Giving has many faces: It is loud and quiet, big, though small.
James and Kay Salter
Life Is Meals
Life is many things, and among the best of them, it is meals.
Wisława Szymborska
The Joy of Writing and Other Poems
Even a simple “Hi” makes you feel quite extraordinary.
Morgan Talty
Turkey Day
It was a good Thanksgiving, because they were invited.