T is for Thanksgiving Day,
That merry day in fall,
When young and old give grateful thanks
For blessings large and small.
H is for the Happiness
That fills each little heart,
For in the glad Thanksgiving feast
The children have a part.
A is for All pleasant thoughts,
All merry romp and play,
All rides and slides, all walks and talks,
For All Thanksgiving Day!
N is for the ripe brown Nuts
That strew the garret floor;
With whack! whack! a host we’ll crack,
And then — we’ll crack some more !
K is for Kindness God has shown
To every girl and boy,
He gives us homes and pleasant friends,
And fills our lives with joy.
S is for Sunshine and for Storm,
The brightness and the rain,
That made the flowers open wide
And ripened all the grain.
G is for Good things to eat;
The turkey and the pie,
Plum pudding, yes! and cranberry sauce,
They’re coming by and by!
I is for Indians who came
The first Thanksgiving Day,
And tried to show, by little gifts,
The thanks they could not say.
V is for Voices sweet and clear,
Uplifted in a song
Around each glowing fireside,
Where laughing children throng.
I is for the shining Ice;
To slide on it we try,
And if we bump our noses
We rub our eyes and cry!
N is for the jolly Noise
The boys and girls all make,
Till mother, aunts, and grandma, too,
Cry, “Hush! for pity’s sake!”
G is for the Gifts we have,
Of life and health and love,
So on the glad Thanksgiving Day
We’ll thank the Lord above.
Yes, children all, both large and small,
With grateful hearts we say,
We thank Thee for the happy year
And glad Thanksgiving Day.
A Complete Holiday Program (1911)
Suggestions
Ask your students to do one or more of the following:
- Read the poem aloud.
- Learn more about Acrostic Poems.
- Make your own acrostic poem using the word “Thanksgiving.”
- Younger children can choose one or two letters or the word “Thanks.”
- This poem describes a Thanksgiving celebration. Make a list of the different things they do.
- Now make a list of the different things that go on during your Thanksgiving celebration.
Additional Resources
The Children’s Book of Thanksgiving Stories ~ Free eBook
Find a Thanksgiving story and turn it into an acrostic poem.
14 Forms of Writing for the Older Student: Poetry
Ideas for doing more with the poem.
