For God's sake, be done
with this jabber of "a better world."
What blasphemy! No "futuristic"
twit or child thereof ever
in embodied light will see
a better world than this, though they
foretell inevitably a worse.
Do something! Go cut the weeds
beside the oblivious road. Pick up
the cans and bottles, old tires,
and dead predictions. No future
can be stuffed into this presence
except by being dead. The day is
clear and bright, and overhead
the sun not yet half finished
with his daily praise.
Wendell Berry
I try to tell people in my neighborhood association that I really enjoy picking up litter (though I wish it weren't a necessity in my central city neighborhood)--that there's something so Zen, so peaceful about being out early in the morning and making block by block of the city a better place for that shining minute.
ReplyDeleteLovely. Wonderful.
DeleteNice one Nan! This brought back the memory of a book of interlinked short stories by Wendell Berry, long gone from this house, which was one of the first books by an American author (except for Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain and Fifteen - Beverly Cleary) I had ever read. Today's poem is definitely worth passing on to folk. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI keep meaning to read his fiction. I own a couple but have never attempted them. Oh, and Fifteen. I loved it, and own it!
DeleteI love Wendell Berry, his poems, his philosophy, the way he has always 'walked his talk'. Thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteCarole
Not a bit surprised that you like the man. As I wrote to Susan, I mean to read his work, but haven't except for poetry. I must begin.
DeleteI've had his Agrarian Essays hanging about the house forever. Then, I started reading his poetry, and found some that are just TRUE! I've not read this one before. It's quite wonderful. Thank you for posting it.
ReplyDeleteI posted another once that is especially wonderful, I think:
Deletehttp://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2007/01/todays-poemthe-peace-of-wild-things.html
I will look into the Agrarian Essays. Thank you.
Just do it. Good message.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with the poet, but I enjoyed reading his work, Nan. Thanks for posting.
He is a very talented, committed man. I mean to read more of his writing.
DeleteI absolutely love Wendell Berry. His novel A Place on Earth is one of my favorites. He creates a world in Port William, Kentucky that you come to know like your own and you wish you could live there. He's truly an American treasure.
ReplyDeleteI have Nathan Coulter and Jayber Crow, and really must get reading them! Thanks for the encouragement.
DeleteI really enjoyed Hannah Coulter - listened to an audio version of it and was quite enthralled. The ending was a tiny disappointing to me. It felt flat for some reason. I also have his essays (to be read) and I enjoy his poetry too. Thanks for this one! We have just such a clear bright day here today in PEI!
ReplyDeleteHe's so prolific, and I want to read more.
Delete