Poems to Read on Thanksgiving Day

Poems to Read on Thanksgiving Day The story of the first Thanksgiving is a familiar one to all Americans: After a year filled with suffering and death, in the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims at Plymouth had a feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest. This feast is surrounded by legends of the local Native Americans joining in the celebration and groaning tables of turkey, corn and some form of cranberry dish. These foods are the bedrock of the traditional American Thanksgiving dinner, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It was not an official holiday until President Abraham Lincoln declared it so in 1863, although it was unofficially celebrated before that time by many Americans. It is a time for families gathered together to reflect on all the good things of their lives and an appropriate moment to read eloquent poems to mark the holiday and its meaning. The New-England Boys Song About Thanksgiving Day by Lydia Maria Child This poem, more commonly known as Over the River and Through the Wood, was written in 1844 and depicts a typical holiday journey through New England snows in the 19th century. In 1897 it was made into the song that is more familiar than the poem to Americans. It very simply tells the story of a sleigh ride through the snow, the dapple-gray horse pulling the sleigh, the howling of the wind and the snow all around, and at last arriving at grandmothers house, where the air is filled with the smell of pumpkin pie. It is the maker of the images of a typical Thanksgiving. The most famous words are the first stanza:​ Over the river, and through the wood,To grandfathers house we go;The horse knows the way,To carry the sleigh,Through the white and drifted snow. The Pumpkin by John Greenleaf Whittier John Greenleaf Whittier uses grandiose language in The Pumpkin (1850) to describe, in the end, his nostalgia for Thanksgivings of old and bounteous love for pumpkin pie, the enduring symbol of those holidays. The poem begins with strong imagery of pumpkins growing in a field and ends as an emotional ode to his now elderly mother, enhanced by similes. And the prayer, which my mouth is too full to express,Swells my heart that thy shadow may never be less,That the days of thy lot may be lengthened below,And the fame of thy worth like a pumpkin-vine grow,And thy life be as sweet, and its last sunset skyGolden-tinted and fair as thy own Pumpkin pie! No. 814 by Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson lived her life almost entirely isolated from the rest of the world, rarely leaving her home in Amherst, Massachusetts, or receiving visitors, except for her family. Her poems were not known to the public in her lifetime; the first volume of her work was published in 1890, four years after her death. So its impossible to know when a particular poem was written. This poem about Thanksgiving, in characteristic Dickinson style, is obtuse in its meaning, but it implies that this holiday is as much about memories of previous ones as about the day at hand: One day is there of the seriesTermed Thanksgiving DayCelebrated part at tablePart in memory- Fire Dreams by Carl Sandburg Fire Dreams was published in Carl Sandburgs 1918 volume of poetry, Cornhuskers, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1919. He is known for his Walt Whitman-like style and use of free verse. Sandburg writes here in the language of the people, directly and with relatively little embellishment, except for a limited use of metaphor, giving this poem a modern feel. He reminds the reader of the first Thanksgiving, conjures up the season and gives his thanks to God. Heres the first stanza: I remember here by the fire,In the flickering reds and saffrons,They came in a ramshackle tub,Pilgrims in tall hats,Pilgrims of iron jaws,Drifting by weeks on beaten seas,And the random chapters sayThey were glad and sang to God. Thanksgiving Time by Langston Hughes Langston Hughes, famous as a seminal and hugely important influence on the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, wrote poetry, plays, novels and short stories that shed a light on the black experience in America. This ode to Thanksgiving from 1921 invokes traditional images of the time of year and the food that is always part of the story. The language is simple, and this would be a good poem to read at a Thanksgiving with children gathered round the table. Heres the first stanza: When the night winds whistle through the trees and blow the crisp brown leaves a-crackling down,When the autumn moon is big and yellow-orange and round,When old Jack Frost is sparkling on the ground,Its Thanksgiving Time!

Italian Book Club Linguality - Parallel Text

Italian Book Club Linguality - Parallel Text Reading Italian literature can be demanding for non-native speakers. Frequently referring to a dictionary becomes tedious, and, unless you wear blinders, resorting to the parallel-text version (Italian and English side-by-side) of a particular work becomes an exercise in futility as you try to avert your eyes from the English translation. With the constant safety net of an English translation just a glance away, its difficult to commit your brain to the exclusive task of absorbing Italian. Fortunately, theres a new way to read recently published Italian fiction and nonfiction almost as effortlessly as reading books in English- the Linguality Italian Book Club. Italian Literature? Ma, Oui!Linguality, based in Cambridge, MA, was founded by a team with extensive experience in foreign-language publishing, university teaching, and pedagogical research. Linguality’s French Book Club debuted in 2007 and quickly earned accolades from readers and language experts alike. Six times a year, contemporary French books are republished with an English introduction, extensive English glossaries, and author interviews in French on audio CD. Given the success of that venture, the company decided to branch out, and launched an Italian Book Club. No Dictionary RequiredThe innovation in Lingualitys Italian Book Club series is the format. The original foreign-language text is placed on every right-hand page, and an extensive English glossary, on the opposite page, allows readers to see the definition of bolded words in context. When the first selection was released, Walter Veltroni, renowned Italian author, journalist, former Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage, and former mayor of Rome, proclaimed that: Its the literary equivalent of a subtitled movie! In fact, the glossary entries act more like turbocharged subtitles, boosting readers comprehension and vocabulary. Typically there are over 2,000 entries per book defining every difficult word and expression, eliminating the need for a dictionary. As Lingualitys publisher, Wes Green, says: ...a non-fluent speaker doesnt need a complete translation...or a dictionary. He or she just opens the book and starts reading in the foreign language. Italian Book Club Membership Has PrivilegesAnother advantage of the Linguality Italian Book Club is that all books are complete, unedited texts- the original version that native Italians read too. Subscribers also receive an audio CD with a 30- to 45-minute conversation in Italian with the author, including a transcript with glossary of the dialogue as an appendix in the book. The publisher recommends that readers have completed the equivalent of two years of college Italian. While each title is amply annotated, beginners may still find it difficult to contend with the texts. With their specially annotated editions of Italian books, the Linguality Italian Book Club offers a unique method for those looking to dramatically improve their Italian language skills. Instead of waiting for the English version of a popular Italian book (few foreign-language titles are ever translated into English anyway), Italian language learners can take off the blinders and read the original without having to resort to the dictionary. Italian Book ListA subscription to Lingualitys Italian Book Club includes six hard-bound books with author interviews on CD. Titles in the series include: Va dove ti porta il cuore (Follow Your Heart) by Susanna Tamaro La scoperta dellalba (The Discovery of the Dawn) by Walter Veltroni Mamma Mia! by Fabrizio Blini Nel momento (In an Instant) by Andrea De Carlo LOrda (The Hoard) by Gian Antonio Stella Il buio e il miele (The Darkness and the Honey) by Giovanni Arpino

The Effects of Postural Changes, Exercise and Cognitive Stress on Essay

The Effects of Postural Changes, Exercise and Cognitive Stress on Human Arterial Pressure and Pulse Rate - Essay Example High blood pressure turns out to be silent killer which many people fail to detect, since it does not have any easily identifiable symptoms. The Circulatory System, which plays a major part in coronary health, functions mainly in the transportation of blood carrying nutrients and oxygen to all parts of the body. However, the Circulatory System is subjected to various pathological conditions. Pathological conditions may result from the abnormality of any component or processes in the Circulatory System. Heart disease results when coronary blood vessels are damaged and cannot provide adequate circulation of blood to the supporting cardiac muscles and tissues, thereby affecting the overall functionality of the systemic arterial blood pressure. According to the World Health Organization, 17 million people die of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) including strokes and heart attacks annually (WHO, 2011). High blood pressure, specifically, has been identified as a major risk factor for most CV Ds and therefore, it should be monitored. The primary importance of studying the components and the processes of the circulatory system is to understand the relationship between the functions and the structures, and for proper diagnosis of the diseases affecting the Circulatory System. Normal blood pressure (BP) is generated when the blood flows through the arterial blood vessels. During systolic contraction, blood pressure peaks at 120 mmHg and drops to 70 or 80 mmHg during the diastolic phase. Essentially, blood pressure can be used as an indicator for abnormalities in processes or in structures within the Circulatory System. For example, changes in the elasticity of the arterial walls as in the case of arteriosclerosis can be identified by the increase in pulse pressure; however, it is the mean arterial pressure (MAP) that is important clinically. MAP is the main pressure that drives blood for systemic circulation. It is regulated to ensure that sufficient amount of blood is prop elled to the tissues, but the pressure would not be high enough to cause extra workload for the heart. As the blood passes through the arterial walls, the arteries expand to accommodate the amount of blood pumped by the heart.  

Microbial Fuel Cells (Design Study) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Microbial Fuel Cells (Design Study) - Essay Example We are, today, faced with an extraordinary situation in which the world population has reached a stage where the conventional sources of energy like fossil fuels have been depleted so much that there is little hope for the coming generations to be able to harness any of it. Therefore, there is an urgent need to discover sustainable sources of energy that will not only help in reducing the carbon footprint but can also be replicated in the developing nations. A literature review on such alternative sources of energy revealed that microbial fuel cells, which employ microorganisms to biodegrade pollutants from the environment to generate electricity, are a novel method of reclaiming natural resources along with providing a new means of generating energy. This design study will be an effort towards determining the cost-efficiency of traditional MFCs versus a simple, single chambered MFC comprising of cheaper components. The purpose of the experiment will be to popularize the inexpensive MFCs and show if scaled up, they can present a low-price energy source, which will at the same time be used for bioremediation of water resources polluted by effluents. Microbial fuel cells work on the principle that some microorganisms called electricigens produce electricity while metabolizing wastewater for their sustenance. The MFC consists of a semi-permeable membrane or cation exchange membrane that allows ions to pass through them but not the microbes; two electrodes, usually the cathode is made up of platinum and the anode is carbon graphite or carbon cloth. It is fitted by a wire to complete the external circuit (Microbal Fuel Cell, 2008). Wastewater is made to flow through the anaerobic compartment and the bacterial metabolic action on the wastewater allows electrons to become free and the cell starts conducting electricity. To compare the electricity outputs

Paul Farmer Essay Example for Free

Paul Farmer Essay How far will one man go to achieve the impossible? How far can one man go to reach his goal? The country of Haiti is one of the most under developed countries in the world, but one doctor, Paul Farmer, is determined to help cure this country. No matter what the costs, Paul Farmer is willing to do whatever it takes to help those in need. A doctor who has graduated from Harvard, is also the founder of Partners in Health, and is also a teacher at Harvard. In the book Mountains Beyond Mountains, by Tracy Kidder, Kidder shows the perseverance, determination, and courage of Paul Farmer and how he tries to help cure an under developed country and how he treats his patients. Paul Farmer isn’t like any other doctor. He treats his patients with more care than an average doctor. In chapter 2 of Mountains Beyond Mountains, Paul Farmer is seen with a patient in Boston who is HIV positive. The patient, named Joe, doesn’t eat properly and doesn’t take his medication and is also a drug addict. Though Joe doesn’t follow the protocol of being healthy, Paul Farmer insists that he treats Joe with respect and care. The patient only wants to drink and wants somebody to take care of him. Farmer took the patient to a homeless shelter. During Christmas time, Farmer bought Joe a six pack of beer for Christmas as a gift. On a message board at the hospital, read â€Å" OUT- cold, their drugs, ? gal. vodka, IN- warm, our drugs, 6 pack bud. † (pg. 15) At the bottom of that message also read â€Å"Why do I know Paul Farmer wrote this? (Pg. 5) This shows how Dokte Paul Farmer cares for his patients and how the other doctors are used to his generosity with their patients. Not many doctors would go to the extreme in taking care of one patient, or bending the rules to suit a patient’s needs. This act of kindness shows how much Paul Farmer cares about his patients and the people of Haiti. Paul Farmer treats everybody equally, whether they’d be rich or poor. The US Army is in Haiti to reinstate the country’s democratically elected government and to take away the power of the Junta that is ruling the country of Haiti with cruelty. In chapter 1, Paul Farmer despises how Captain Carroll and his men release Nerva Juste, a sheriff who is accused of beheading the assistant mayor of Mirebalais. Because there wasn’t any hard evidence of Nerva killing the assistant mayor, the US army had to let him go. Paul Farmer says to Captain Carroll, â€Å"Two clear sides existed in Haiti, the forces of repression and the Haitian poor, the vast majority†¦it still seems fuzzy which side the American soldiers are on† (pg. 15). This shows that Farmer is defending the poor Haitians

A Man and His Family in movies Air Force One and Patriot Games :: Air Force Patriot Games Family Essays

A Man and His Family in movies Air Force One and Patriot Games As soon as a man gets married and begins his family, a certain protective instinct takes over. No matter what situation presents itself, a man’s first thought is that of protecting his family from harm. The theme, although a man’s job may be very important, his main concern in life is to protect his family, is shown in both of the movies Air Force One and Patriot Games. In both movies, a man and his family encounter terrorist actions in which the man has to put his family’s lives before his own. The movie Air Force One begins with the President of the United States of America boarding the aircraft, Air Force One with his wife, daughter, and staff. Just after liftoff from Moscow, the plane is attacked and taken over by terrorists, who were smuggled onboard by a member of the president’s staff. As soon as this happened, the secret service put the president into a small pod, which was designed to get the president off of the plane in case of an emergency. As they forced him into the pod, his only concern was for his family. He yelled out â€Å"Where’s my family? What about my family?† (Air Force One). Secretly, the president got out of the pod to stay behind and save his family. The terrorists demanded that one of their former leaders be released from jail. If he was not released, they were going to start killing the presidential staff, including the first family. The president remained hidden and secretly plotted how to get to his family and defeat the terrorists. It finally came down to the president against the terrorists. The terrorists wanted the president to call the prison that their leader was in and have him released. If the president did not want to make the call, he had to choose to kill either his wife or his daughter. In the end, he decided to call the prison and release the terrorist over killing his family. This showed that the only thing that mattered to him was his family. This same theme holds true for the movie Patriot Games. In this movie the main character is CIA agent Jack Ryan who, while on vacation in England, stops terrorists from killing a member of the Royal Family.

Food Justice Essay

Walking into the lecture I had no clue what food justice meant. If anything, I figured the lecture had to do with justice for fair trade for farmers or the justice in regulation of genetically modified foods. Instead it turned out to be justice that seeks to ensure that the risk associated with growing, producing, transporting, distributing, eating, access to food is shared by everyone fairly. After Professor Kieth Pezzoli gave a little explanation about food justice and its purpose I began to see the â€Å"background stuff† that goes on to get my food on my plate. I was beginning to see that the food that gets into my stomach has probably traveled to more places around the US than I will ever be. What was really interesting was learning that food that gets cultivated here will be shipped up north or elsewhere to be processed and then shipped back to California. In addition, all the traveling that my food not only waste time but also is detrimental to the environment due to the pollution caused by the vehicles that ship my food all around to be processed. Even though my food travels thousands of miles before it reaches me Professor Brad Werner made an interesting point in that we may never notice this process because of modern advancement in transportation and communication. The ability to easily receive my food is due to all the technology we have and having this ease of purchasing food is known as a low friction transaction. On the other hand, when it is difficult to purchase food due to varying factors this is known as a high friction transaction. Lastly Professor Jericho Burg demonstrated how the problems we face with food justice here in the states stretches far beyond our borders due to the excess food we give out to other countries in famine through food aid. Like many things good intentions sometimes have negative effects and there needs to be a re-evaluation and reform on the system we currently use to help others including ourselves.