Letters

This Thanksgiving season, let us give thanks for the bounty that has blessed the East End for centuries. This includes our precious bays, with their myriad fish, crustaceans and shellfish, the richest farmland soils in America, our plentiful colorful harvest, and our wildlife and songbirds, which bring us joy. Let us not forget our beloved fishermen and farmers, who toil to bring the bounty of sea and land to us.

Let us support the environmental groups, like Group for the East End, The Nature Conservancy, the Pine Barrens Society, Peconic Land Trust, and other not-for-profit organizations, which daily protect our treasures.

We implore our government officials to hold community forums to discuss local water quality problems, hire the experts necessary to solve them, and spend resources generously to restore water quality.

Those living near water bodies have a special duty to establish and plant natural buffers by their shores, update their septic systems, and stop applying poisons and fertilizers to their lawns to prevent dangerous algae blooms. Marina owners can play a special role by using non-toxic boat materials.

We must all do our part to ensure that the blessings we enjoy will continue and are passed on to the next generation with reverence and love. Let us pause in gratitude, praise and thanksgiving to offer a prayer for our blessings together:

Morning Dew like John of old,

Baptizes Dawn, renewing Soul.

She glistens on the meadow fair,

Reflects God’s Glory and God’s care.

Trees, their graceful limbs exalt,

With trembling branches raised to pray.

God’s windy Voice their leaves do shake,

Breathes forth the darling buds of May.

Humble Spider lifts his head,

And spins his message plain to see,

Remember me, my precious Lord,

I am but small, yet dear to Thee!

And perched upon her leafy-lair,

With graceful limbs light-green and fair,

Mantis lifts her arms to pray

To Him who birthed both night and day.

Humming Bird, with emerald flare,

Visits flowers here and there,

Kissing sweet their velvet hearts,

Hears confession, then departs.

Soaring Heaven as she flies,

A single Lark begins to sing,

Praising God for spring-time skies.

The flock sings chorus on the wing.

On the night-pond, green monks bring

Gregorian chants for all to sing.

Lotus, though her roots touch mud,

Repeats the song and blooms from bud.

Out in the Deep, the Mollusks clasp

Shell-hands in prayer, together grasped.

Some shed salt tears, which usher forth

Pearls to praise the Loving Source.

Earth’s chorus echoes the Eternal Word-

Salvation Song — The Lord is raised!

My Heart she joins the Starry-Song,

So in His Heaven, God is Praised!

Carolyn Zenk

Attorney at Law

Hampton Bays