"For the Children"
The rising hills, the slopes,
of statistics
lie before us,
the steep climb
of everything, going up,
up, as we all
go down.
In the next century
or the one beyond that,
they say,
are valleys, pastures,
we can meet there in peace
if we make it.
To climb these coming crests
one word to you, to
you and your children:
stay together
learn the flowers
go light
of statistics
lie before us,
the steep climb
of everything, going up,
up, as we all
go down.
In the next century
or the one beyond that,
they say,
are valleys, pastures,
we can meet there in peace
if we make it.
To climb these coming crests
one word to you, to
you and your children:
stay together
learn the flowers
go light
~ Gary Snyder, Turtle Island. © New Directions, 1974.
http://teresaevangeline.blogspot.com/2011/08/sunday-morning-coming-down.html
http://teresaevangeline.blogspot.com/2011/02/all-along-watch-tower.html
The photograph of wild mountain hollyhocks by Montucky: montucky.wordpress.com
interesting to hear such wise words from 1974, love the photo at the top, what city is it?
ReplyDeleteYes, and it seems so little has changed ...
DeleteThe city is Tokyo.
"Learn the flowers" is excellent advice. They hold for you the keys to many of life's mysteries.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly have known and practiced this ... Thank you so much for the use of your beautiful photograph.
DeleteThank you. I remember that busy time. I remember Jerry Brown sending a Highway Patrol Car into the Sierras to collect Gary for an awards assembly --Snyder's car wouldn't run-- and getting lots of criticism for it. But we're in the future now and Jerry's governor again. Snyder must be in his 80s. I remember the poetry scene then. Just life. We're all time travelers. You reminded me. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteYes, time travelers ... thanks for your response.
DeleteI love this one. I especially like the reminder to go light. Gotta remember that. :-)
ReplyDeleteMe, too ... :)
DeleteGo light. It can have several meanings, and suggest many things.
ReplyDeleteThe best ideas usually do ... :))
DeleteThis one caught my attention, too. I have a suspicion those flowers we need to learn are growing elsewhere than on the slopes of statistics.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes ... :)
DeleteI saw this as well on The Writer's Almanac. (I always start my day with it, Teresa. I grow each day, enter the next, and am reminded of how much further I have to go. Not a bad thing to be challenged with, not is this poem filled with such rich words and images.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the links to previous posts of yours. I think it was before I started reading you - and now, I know another poem to as I wander along my way.
stay together
learn the flowers
go light
Those daily poems are a real gift ...
DeleteThanks for taking the time to check the other posts.
Every time i read those three phrases I understand more ... together they make the finest advice I've read.
Lovely words. I am driven to ask "is it too late to learn the flowers?"
ReplyDeleteIt is not. It's never too late and a very satisfying pastime. :)
DeleteVery moving. Finding inspiration in words is so gratifying to me. True, authentic, wonderful art. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteAs it is to me. Every day I find some that fit perfectly or give me beautiful pause for consideration.
DeleteYes. Go light. Stay together.
ReplyDeleteTokyo? It is beautiful at night. :)
Yes ... :)
Delete