The last Monday evening in November. I ponder gratitude. Not from fireworks or bloom, not from listening to birdsong or submerging in rose-perfume of June. In autumn only evergreens and moss still mimic life; and yet there is a comfort in the humdrum of persistent drizzle, in this colorless sky and shadows of the barest branches moving darkly with the wind. I’m thankful for the humid rawness of the air; for the scent of leaves decaying in the streets. I’m pleased that every day I bicycle to work, I learn again the taste of fall.
My neighbor’s tabby, still tipsy from nightly exploits, crosses the street
We do not celebrate Thanksgiving in Sweden… so writing something about gratitude was not that easy. Next Sunday is the first of advent, and to some extent I think this time of the year, there is more a sense of doom. For me it fitted well to complement the prose with an American Sentence instead.
Today we write haibun on gratitude with Frank at dVerse come and join us.
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November 25, 2019
Björn Rudbergs writings 
I love the imagery you include in this exemplar of gratitude, Bjorn!
Bjorn, thanks for this picture of your part of the world. Though we have a holiday called thanksgiving, for most of my life it was only about food and not about gratitude. Now that I can appreciate it more fully, it can seem like the only holiday Americans got right. Thank you for your writings, and your huge contributions to the community.
I liked your poem, in which you had to stretch your imagination a bit. Your haiku was great. I still marvel at how faithful you with your cycling commute. And I agree that one of the big things I’m thankful for is your leadership and the groups continuing fellowship.
Love your American Sentence. Those tabbies are something. You still bicycle to work, I still walk everyday. Thank you for your leadership at dVerse and your writing.
We do not celebrate Thanksgiving here in T&T generally. I suppose Americans resident here may.
Happy Monday
Much🌻love
Quite lovely
Meaningful and gentle haibun Björn. I enjoyed this. Thanksgiving is dedicated to caring, gathering, squabbling, and gluttony — not necessarily in that order. But I love the intention of the day.
“I know learn again the taste of fall.”… That made me stop and think because I never thought of the taste of fall, only the smells and colors. You are right there is also a taste. I really like this and loved your American sentence!
I love this! Learning Fall with every excursion! And that naughty neighbors cat… Well…. Wonder what he was up to!!
autumn so delightful described … we also don’t celebrate thanksgiving
Bjorn — loved the Haiku and your ungrateful non-American thankfulness. Smile.
BTW, this sentence:”I’m pleased that every day I bicycle to work, I know learn again the taste of fall.”
I think there is an err — “know learn”?
You Haiku sentence was fun!
Thank you Sabio… yes there was an error there.
There is always comfort in the seasons, in the continuity of nature and the neighbor’s cat–it anchors while the rest of the world storms. (K)
“I’m thankful for the humid rawness of the air; for the scent of leaves decaying in the streets. I’m pleased that every day I bicycle to work, I know learn again the taste of fall.”
Beautiful words of gratitude. Different places have different reasons for their Thanksgiving. Though I am thankful for the day, the greater challenge is to have gratitude every day.
To be thankful for persistent drizzle and scent of leaves decaying is true and simple gratitude.