Giving Thanks

        by Sarah Welch and Michael Dylan Welch

First published in Mariposa 37, Autumn–Winter 2017, page 28. Winner of second place in the 2016 Haiku Poets of Northern California Rengay Contest, judged by Tanya McDonald. Originally written on 6 November 2016 at Sammamish Landing Park in Sammamish, Washington on a crisp autumn afternoon.


rising sun—
the frozen turkey
set out to bake                                                                             Sarah

         a new chip
         in the best china                                                                 Michael

the doorbell rings—
a speck of blood
on the potato peeler                                                                     Sarah

napkins unfolded—
we keep passing
the green bean casserole                                                             Michael

         on his cell phone
         father checks the football score                                          Sarah

setting sun—
a pumpkin pie
warm from the oven                                                                     Michael