Starting here, what do you want to remember?
How sunlight creeps along a shining floor?
What scent of old wood hovers, what softened
sound from outside fills the air?
Will you ever bring a better gift for the world
than the breathing respect that you carry
wherever you go right now? Are you waiting
for time to show you some better thoughts?
When you turn around, starting here, lift this
new glimpse that you found; carry into evening
all that you want for this day. This interval you spent
reading or hearing this, keep it for life —
What can anyone give you greater than now,
starting here, right in this room when you turn around?
~William Stafford~
The Way It Is
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Love this Bethie. I haven’t read much of his poetry…except thru Panhala. Thanks for bringing it to me!!
love you bunches!
I’m glad you like him Amy. I think next to Rilke he’s my next favorite poet. My favorite of his is “Today”, omg it’s just unbelievably gorgeous. Love you too, Amy.
The ordinary miracles begin. Somewhere
a signal arrives: “Now,” and the rays
come down. A tomorrow has come. Open
your hands, lift them: morning rings
all the doorbells; porches are cells for prayer.
Religion has touched your throat. Not the same now,
you could close your eyes and go on full of light.
And it is already begun, the chord
that will shiver glass, the song full of time
bending above us. Outside, a sign:
a bird intervenes; the wings tell the air,
“Be warm.” No one is out there, but a giant
has passed through town, widening streets, touching
the ground, shouldering away the stars.
Bethie this is just stunning, i think i say that about all your posts.. but i mean REALLY stunning, and yet once again the essence of what i feel right this very minute. xoam
I’m glad you like this poem, AMari, this is one of my favorite poets. He was known as a Pacific Northwest poet, too, and didn’t publish until his 40s. In another world I could easily be stranded on an island with just him and Rilke :)