Thanksgiving by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

As the season of gratitude unfolds, enjoy this a warm and contemplative installment of our Classic Reading Series for November. Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s poem Thanksgiving is a reflective piece encouraging us to pause amid the busyness of the season and recognize the quiet blessings woven into everyday life.

Deirdre O’Leary Cunningham, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English, lends her voice to Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s poem Thanksgiving in this pre-production photograph.
Deirdre O’Leary Cunningham, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English, lends her voice to Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s poem Thanksgiving in this pre-production photograph.
Deirdre O’Leary Cunningham, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English, lends her voice to Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s poem Thanksgiving in this pre-production photograph.
Deirdre O’Leary Cunningham, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English, lends her voice to Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s poem Thanksgiving in this pre-production photograph.

About This Reading

Published in the early 20th century, Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s Thanksgiving reflects her signature blend of optimism, sentiment, and moral clarity. Known for poetry that speaks directly to the human heart, Wilcox invites readers to appreciate the unseen blessings that sustain us: the laughter shared, the hands held, the warmth of home, and the hope that guides us through challenges.

In this production, Deirdre O’Leary Cunningham, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English, lends her voice to Wilcox’s reflective meditation on gratitude, shaping the poem into a heartfelt and intimate performance.

Through mindful pacing, visual resonance, and a focus on the poem’s quiet emotional turns, this rendition invites modern audiences to discover the beauty in everyday blessings — while honoring the timeless sincerity at the heart of Wilcox’s work.

READ THANKSGIVING AT POETS.ORG