Thankful

theres a loaded word

loaded   with the prejudice one was perforce to live by

before living by oneself 

                                      (if one was able to swing that serene draft   or warm room)

and become accustom to living with ones own prejudices

first

admit they exist

youre not awful for having them

then ferret yours out from among those which you were shackled

the neat little bows that held up a girls hair and a boys spiffy bowties held to their 

starched collars by thin metal clasps

artifice

which  perhaps  can be turned into artefacts

they werent inflicted with malice

ignorance wasnt necessarily malice

it was just folded into the blood as when a favorite cake is made  blended  not beaten

he was thankful he was able to sort between them

he was thankful he was aware of his own and he could curb his tongue when they 

charged the back of his eyes and thickened his tongue

thankful he could chastise himself privately 

and indelicately

no one is perfect

everyone is flawed

his reasons  or excuses  or vice versa  are no better or worse than anothers

--   Would you kindly say Grace

 

--   No thank you

Please pass the oyster stuffing and horseradish

1303,  Wednesday,  26  11. 14