--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thanksgiving-day, I fear, If one the…" description: "\"Thanksgiving-day, I fear, If one the solemn truth must touch, Is celebrated, not so much To thank the Lord for blessing o'er, As for the sake of gettin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/will-carleton-28487_blessing_thanksgiving-day-i-fear-if-one-the-solem_1761063.png" --- # Thanksgiving-day, I fear, If one the solemn truth must… ![“Thanksgiving-day, I fear, If one the solemn truth must touch, Is celebrated, not so much To thank the Lord for blessing o'er, As for the sake of getting more!” quote by Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/will-carleton-28487_blessing_thanksgiving-day-i-fear-if-one-the-solem_1761063.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/will-carleton-28487_blessing_thanksgiving-day-i-fear-if-one-the-solem_1761063.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/will-carleton-28487_blessing_thanksgiving-day-i-fear-if-one-the-solem_1761063.png) > “Thanksgiving-day, I fear, If one the solemn truth must touch, Is celebrated, not so much To thank the Lord for blessing o'er, As for the sake of getting more!” [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poem critiques superficial gratitude, suggesting people thank God more for personal gain than for blessings. **In simple terms:** Gratitude should be sincere, not selfish. Key Takeaway Seek genuine thankfulness. Themes gratitude materialism faith Mood thoughtful critical Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - family gatherings - holiday reflections - charitable acts Key Concepts theology social critique Questions to Reflect On - What does authentic gratitude look like for you? - How can you shift focus from gain to genuine thanks? A Different Perspective May ignore systemic issues behind gratitude. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessing/) [Blessings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessings/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Solemn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solemn/) [Thanksgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thanksgiving/) [Thanksgiving day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thanksgiving-day/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [Thank you Lord for blessing me more than I deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thank-you-lord-for-blessing-me-more-than-i-deserve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When thou hast truly thanked the Lord for every blessing sent, But little time will then remain for murmur or lament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/when-thou-hast-truly-thanked-the-lord-for-every-blessing-sent-but/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [It is therefore recommended... to set apart Thursday the eighteenth day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise, that with one heart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/it-is-therefore-recommended-to-set-apart-thursday-the-eighteenth-day/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [Forever on Thanksgiving Day. The heart will find the pathway home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forever-on-thanksgiving-day-the-heart-will-find-the-pathway-home/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“After the meal was done, the brothers moved slowly, as if drugged or sleepy, which made me wonder if it was similar to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/after-the-meal-was-done-the-brothers-moved-slowly-as-if-drugged-or/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [When I was just starting out in the business, I used to love to watch Lorne Greene doing the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-scott/when-i-was-just-starting-out-in-the-business-i-used-to-love-to-watch/) [Willard Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-scott/) > [Reflect upon your present blessings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/reflect-upon-your-present-blessings/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Thanksgiving is so called because we are all so thankful that it only comes once a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/thanksgiving-is-so-called-because-we-are-all-so-thankful-that-it-only/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Its almost Thanksgiving! A day when you get to hear your extended family use racial slurs for groups are not taking away their jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-kirkman/its-almost-thanksgiving-a-day-when-you-get-to-hear-your-extended/) [Jen Kirkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-kirkman/) > [I am so excited this year getting to play the 85th Anniversary Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Everyone knows on Thanksgiving morning to get up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-atkins/i-am-so-excited-this-year-getting-to-play-the-85th-anniversary-macy-s/) [Rodney Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-atkins/) > [“For John Dillinger In hope he is still alive Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1986 In hope he is still alive Thanks for the wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-john-dillinger-in-hope-he-is-still-alive-thanksgiving-day/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [I'm sending you a bouquet of all my love and a garland of my warmest wishes. May you wake up every morning with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-sending-you-a-bouquet-of-all-my-love-and-a-garland-of-my-warmest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can tell you ate too much for Thanksgiving when you have to let your bathrobe out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/you-can-tell-you-ate-too-much-for-thanksgiving-when-you-have-to-let/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/on-thanksgiving-day-we-acknowledge-our-dependence/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [“It’s crowded today, the day before the big macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and people are filling up the tunnel like lemmings or cockroaches running…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-crowded-today-the-day-before-the-big-macy-s-thanksgiving-day/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Will Carleton > [“ Autumn Days Yellow, mellow, ripened days, Sheltered in a golden coating; O'er the dreamy, listless haze, White and dainty cloudlets floating; Winking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/autumn-days-yellow-mellow-ripened-days-sheltered-in-a-golden-coating/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [Boys flying kites haul in their white winged birds; You can't do that way when you're flying words. Careful with fire, is good advice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/boys-flying-kites-haul-in-their-white-winged-birds-you-can-t-do-that/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [And that was the way The deuce was to pay As it always is, at the close of the day That gave us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/and-that-was-the-way-the-deuce-was-to-pay-as-it-always-is-at-the/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [But I have learned a thing or two; I know as sure as fate, when we lock up our lives for wealth, the gold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/but-i-have-learned-a-thing-or-two-i-know-as-sure-as-fate-when-we-lock/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [Things at home are crossways, and Betsy and I are out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/things-at-home-are-crossways-and-betsy-and-i-are-out/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [Cover them over with beautiful flowers, Deck them with garlands, those brothers of ours, Lying so silent by night and by day Sleeping the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/cover-them-over-with-beautiful-flowers-deck-them-with-garlands-those/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [I've watched my duty, straight an' true, an' tried to do it well; Part of the time kept heaven in view, An' part steered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/i-ve-watched-my-duty-straight-an-true-an-tried-to-do-it-well-part-of/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [Over all our happy country - over all our Nation spread, Is a band of noble heroes - is our Army of the Dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/over-all-our-happy-country-over-all-our-nation-spread-is-a-band-of/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [Over the hill to the poor-house I'm trudgin' my weary way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/over-the-hill-to-the-poor-house-i-m-trudgin-my-weary-way/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [Worm or beetle - drought or tempest - on a farmer's land may fall, Each is loaded full o' ruin, but a mortgage beats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/worm-or-beetle-drought-or-tempest-on-a-farmer-s-land-may-fall-each-is/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [Not all the labour of the earth Is done by hardened hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/not-all-the-labour-of-the-earth-is-done-by-hardened-hands/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [The editor sat in his sanctum, his countenance furrowed with care, His mind at the bottom of business, his feet at the top of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/the-editor-sat-in-his-sanctum-his-countenance-furrowed-with-care-his/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [There's lots of people-this town wouldn't hold them; Who don't know much excepting what's told them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/there-s-lots-of-people-this-town-wouldn-t-hold-them-who-don-t-know/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [To appreciate heaven well, it's good for a person to have some fifteen minutes of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/to-appreciate-heaven-well-it-s-good-for-a-person-to-have-some-fifteen/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) > [If there's a heaven upon the earth, a fellow knows it when He's been away from home a week, and then gets back again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/if-there-s-a-heaven-upon-the-earth-a-fellow-knows-it-when-he-s-been/) [Will Carleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) [Explore all 19 Will Carleton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/) ## More Blessing quotes > [Being a new mother is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phaedra-parks/being-a-new-mother-is-a-blessing/) [Phaedra Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phaedra-parks/) > [God loves to glorify himself by suspending his gifts and blessings on our asking him for them. We should never presume to receive from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-storms/god-loves-to-glorify-himself-by-suspending-his-gifts-and-blessings-on/) [Sam Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-storms/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Life is all about experiences and being able to work with good people is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika-chawla/life-is-all-about-experiences-and-being-able-to-work-with-good-people/) [Bhumika Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika-chawla/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [“When Jesus finished teaching in a synagogue one day, a woman called out from the audience, 'God bless your mother—the womb from which you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-bessey/when-jesus-finished-teaching-in-a-synagogue-one-day-a-woman-called/) [Sarah Bessey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-bessey/) > [“I've never felt a pain that didn't bear a blessing. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-knudsen-hoffman/i-ve-never-felt-a-pain-that-didn-t-bear-a-blessing/) Gene Knudsen Hoffman > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [One of the noblest words in our language is "grace," defined as "unearned blessing." We live by grace far more than by anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/one-of-the-noblest-words-in-our-language-is-grace-defined-as-unearned/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy. Others attain unto a glory and may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/the-only-men-who-become-gods-even-the-sons-of-god-are-those-who-enter/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [Being of Indian heritage is a challenge - and it's a blessing as well sometimes - because being good isn't good enough. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-dhawan/being-of-indian-heritage-is-a-challenge-and-it-s-a-blessing-as-well/) [Sacha Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-dhawan/) > [“Time wasted can never be compensated”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/time-wasted-can-never-be-compensated/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The Louvre! The Louvre has me in its clutches. Every time I'm there rich blessings rain down upon me. I am coming to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-modersohn-becker/the-louvre-the-louvre-has-me-in-its-clutches-every-time-i-m-there/) [Paula Modersohn-Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-modersohn-becker/) > [Life is such a very troublesome matter, when all is said and done, that it's as well even to take its blessings quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-braddon/life-is-such-a-very-troublesome-matter-when-all-is-said-and-done-that/) [Mary Elizabeth Braddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-braddon/) > [Down where I grew up, able-bodied people do that which we believe God created them to do. Work is a blessing; it's not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-southerland/down-where-i-grew-up-able-bodied-people-do-that-which-we-believe-god/) [Steve Southerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-southerland/) [Browse all 4,617 Blessing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Thanksgiving-day, I fear, If one the solemn truth must touch, Is celebrated, not so much To thank the Lord for blessing o'er, As for the sake of getting more!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Will Carleton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/thanksgiving-day-i-fear-if-one-the-solemn-truth-must-touch-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blessing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/thanksgiving-day-i-fear-if-one-the-solemn-truth-must-touch-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/will-carleton-28487_blessing_thanksgiving-day-i-fear-if-one-the-solem_1761063.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/will-carleton-28487_blessing_thanksgiving-day-i-fear-if-one-the-solem_1761063.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/will-carleton-28487_blessing_thanksgiving-day-i-fear-if-one-the-solem_1761063.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Thanksgiving-day, I fear, If one the solemn truth must touch, Is celebrated, not so much To thank the Lord…” — Will Carleton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Will Carleton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-carleton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Thanksgiving-day, I fear, If one the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/thanksgiving-day-i-fear-if-one-the-solemn-truth-must-touch-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-carleton/thanksgiving-day-i-fear-if-one-the-solemn-truth-must-touch-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```