As I prepare for Thanksgiving Day in America, it’s helpful to remind myself that everything in life matters. I hope you enjoy the holidays ahead. I hope you enjoy the poem below.

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SEAGULL ON A DOCK by Patrick J Cole

You may see the bird,

or the many posts beyond it.

You may even see the harbor shoreline not that far ahead 

or the ripples on the water below

or heavily clouded sky above.

But, if you don’t know me by now,

I see the birdshit splotches.

White artwork on the dock

that tells me this is real.

No lotus without the mud.

No seagull without the birdshit.

No love without grief.

No joy without suffering.