Today's poem found me when I heard just the title and was intrigued. After searching out the poem I was quietly in love and wanted to share it with everyone. (I haven't handed out copies of it at the grocery store, but I did consider it.) It reminds me to wake up, pay attention, and not simply wait for time to show me some better thoughts (even during a pandemic). I'll stop blathering and let you (hopefully) enjoy the poet's words.
You Reading This, Be Ready
William Stafford
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?
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?
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 from this day. This interval you spent
reading or hearing this, keep it for life –
new glimpse that you found; carry into evening
all that you want from 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?
starting here, right in this room, when you turn around?
Stafford, William. "You Reading This, Be Ready". The Way It Is: New & Selected Poems by William Stafford, Graywolf Press, 1998.
I wish you mindfulness, peace, presence, sunlight creeping along your floor, better thoughts, and some poetry as this week winds down.
What a lovely poem to remind us that all we have is right here, right now, and that it is always enough if we pay attention to it. Thank you, Bonny. Today was a really good day for me to read this. Happy Mindful Thursday!
ReplyDeleteThis is excellent -- thank you for sharing it. It's a good one to copy out and have posted nearby (which I would do if I was still working in my office).
ReplyDeleteFAbulous! I am going to share with some friends.
ReplyDeleteSuch a gasp-inducing poem! I think I'll join you in passing this one out to everyone I know . . . maybe even at the grocery store. XO
ReplyDeleteOoo! Wow!! I love this so very much! It is going directly into my journal! Thank you so much for sharing! XO
ReplyDeleteWilliam Stafford is one of my favorite poets. He was quite a guy. His prose about writing is equally as interesting as his poetry. I have a number of his books on my bookshelves.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this! It's going straight into one of my notebooks as well!
ReplyDeletebeautiful! I love the focus and intent in the words :)
ReplyDeleteThis is the poem for now.
ReplyDeleteThat is wonderful. Very in the moment. Very in the space I need to go to!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful poem and I love the photo. Thank you
ReplyDelete