Headdress: 2003_Pastel3 by Carol Hershey

11/29/08_Poem by Betina Hershey Russo

Thanks were given
And thanks received.
The headdress was passed
Down the rows of sober recipients
And placed on each head
As glasses were raised and toasts toasted.
The colors on cheeks flushed
And eyes shone with such sweet corn,
Such creamy pumpkin soup,
And the prospects of new worlds of friends.
I remember it well, the hopes
For peace, for freedom, for cohabitation,
And also the more important desire
To survive the harsh new winter.
They did us right, and we, well,
We tried, but we lost the headdress
And ran out of wine
And after the winter we thought we knew it all.