William Stafford
William Stafford
Prolific American poet and 1970 U.S. Poet Laureate who won the National Book Award for Traveling Through the Dark. His numerous other works include In the Clock of Reason, Brother Wind, Passwords, and Wyoming Circuit.
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth17 January 1914
CountryUnited States of America
bright cover cup island shelter storm winter
Shelter in winter that day --a storm coming, but in the leeof an island in a cover with friends --oh, little bright cup of sun.
evening forest hill path silence touched
Silence on a hill where the path endedand then the forest belowmoving in one long whisperas evening touched the leaves.
below ended evening forest hill moving path silence touched whisper
Silence on a hill where the path ended and then the forest below moving in one long whisper as evening touched the leaves.
corner faint interest poetry prepared side straight worse
Poetry is the kind of thing you have to see from the corner of your eye. You can be too well prepared for poetry. A conscientious interest in it is worse than no interest at all. . . . It's like a very faint star. If you look straight at it you can't see it, but if you look a little to one side it is there.
million
One way to find your place is likethe rain, a million requestsfor lodging, one that wins, findsyour cheek: you find your home.
air earth emperor listen next saying time
Next time what I'd do is look atthe earth before saying anything. I'd stopjust before going into a houseand be an emperor for a minuteand listen better to the windor to the air being still.
air earth emperor house listen minute next saying stop time wind
Next time what I'd do is look at the earth before saying anything. I'd stop just before going into a house and be an emperor for a minute and listen better to the wind or to the air being still.
bucket cool memory
Let the bucket of memory down into the well,bring it up. Cool, cool minutes. No onestirring, no plans. Just being there.
leave room sound
Leave sound in an emptyhouse in its own room there. . . .
art father lick
Our Father Who art in Heavencan lick their Father Who art in Heaven.
sun
Well, it was yesterday. And the sun came,WhyIt came.
sun
Well, it was yesterday. And the sun came, Why It came.
current exactly hold miles river silent stillness turn
You and I can turn and lookat the silent river and wait. We knowthe current is there, hidden; and thereare comings and goings from miles awaythat hold the stillness exactly before us.What the river says, that is what I say.
gain led pure time
We are led one thing at a time to that pure gain -- all that we lose.