Thank you, Jimena!

Jimena, I hope you don't mind my writing about you here but I want to thank you in public. Because I want people to know how helpful and supportive you have been to me this year.  Your ever-present smiles, reassurances and kind words have got me through my bad days and made me believe in myself again. I've been  lucky to have you with me even if for too short a time. You are a great teacher and an amazing person. Maybe we'll work together again some time...
Thank you!

Thanks   by W. S. Merwin

 

Listen 

with the night falling we are saying thank you 

we are stopping on the bridges to bow from the railings 

we are running out of the glass rooms 

with our mouths full of food to look at the sky 

and say thank you 

we are standing by the water thanking it 

smiling by the windows looking out 

in our directions 

back from a series of hospitals back from a mugging 

after funerals we are saying thank you 

after the news of the dead 

whether or not we knew them we are saying thank you

over telephones we are saying thank you 

in doorways and in the backs of cars and in elevators 

remembering wars and the police at the door 

and the beatings on stairs we are saying thank you 

in the banks we are saying thank you 

in the faces of the officials and the rich

and of all who will never change

we go on saying thank you thank you

with the animals dying around us 

our lost feelings we are saying thank you 

with the forests falling faster than the minutes 

of our lives we are saying thank you 

with the words going out like cells of a brain 

with the cities growing over us 

we are saying thank you faster and faster 

with nobody listening we are saying thank you 

we are saying thank you and waving 

dark though it is