poetry thursday
Click here to read one of my favorite William Stafford poems called "You Reading This, Be Ready." And if you haven't already spent some time exploring this website, I hope you will take some time at some point to pour yourself a cup of tea and read some of Stafford's words.
After reading this poem several times today, these are the words I am drawn to write...
Pause and take a breath;
sit in the quiet for a moment.
Do you hear it?
Try again.
Now?
Does it sound like the cry of a warrior ready for battle?
The whisper of a lover's sweet words?
The chant of a goddess standing atop a mountain?
The giggle of a baby in her mother's arms?
What would happen if you let it out?
Let it live and dance and hum.
Let it roar and weep and laugh.
Loosen your clutching fingers, and
shed the layers of your fear,
dropping them like clothes onto the floor of your bedroom.
You will discover,
this is the song your soul has been singing for centuries.
It is waiting for you to let go
and sing along.
*****
Poetry Thursday was a weekly poetry project that I created and then co-hosted back in 2006-2007. The site is no longer online.
poetry
Reader Comments (24)
Thank you for this, it really speaks to me. and, I love William Stafford too. I have a couple of his books of essays "Crossing Unmarked Snow" and "Writing the Australian Crawl". Both well worth reading.
Chills-shivers whatever you call them I got them reading this poem. WOW! This speaks volumes to me today.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful words. I will be reading them over and over today.
Hugs and Love
Thea
These words gave me goosebumps, especially when I got to this part: Loosen your clutching fingers, and
shed the layers of your fear,
dropping them like clothes onto the floor of your bedroom.
You will discover,
this is the song your soul has been singing for centuries.
It is waiting for you to let go
and sing along.
Thank you!
That gives me goose bumps!!
Loved the last line...
"this is the song your soul has been singing for centuries.
It is waiting for you to let go
and sing along"
Yes! You are amazing liz. Your ability to organize your thoughts is poetry in its finest.
Really lovely.
a.
Your poem is so amazing, Liz Elayne. Turning loose of the fear...Yes!
oh liz, this is simply wonderful! letting go, so vital to our survival...loved the rich imagery, brava!
sage
you are so cool.
This is beautiful! I like yours even more than the one from William! Thank you for this!! i've written in my journal for safe keeping.
'shed the layers of your fear,
dropping them like clothes onto the floor of your bedroom'
goosebumps, indeed!
enjoyed this, thanks for your kind comments over at my place and most of all thanks for hosting poetry thursday!
love bb x
fabulous liz!!! reading this made me want to jump out of my chair and let it out!
So beautiful and inspiring! Really impressive. Makes me one to go dancing!
How can it be that you're speaking directly to me? "It is waiting for you to let go and sing along."
Letting go ... now there's something I should work on more. Thanks for this soothing, gentle reminder.
I absolutely love William Stafford! He used to come to Utah and do classes and workshops at BYU. He and Leslie Norris did one together that I'll never forget.
They were both so kind and so helpful, and encouraging. I treasure all the comments he wrote on my little packet of poetry.
PS Loved your poem as well!
Liz,
This is tremendous!! You are so gifted! I LOVED it, really I did :)
I have a wonderful day hanging out with you today! It was just what I needed.
Looking forward to our next art date.
XOXOXO-Leth
beautifully inspiring.
fresh
and interesting.
i liked the questions.
really beautiful
I want to wrap this poem around me, keep it close.
I believe I have glimpsed it. While working in the garden. For awhile I was free as a child, singing and dancing and knowing no bounds. Part of all that was before.
"this is the song your soul has been singing for centuries."
Love the directness of both poems - and the use of aural senses as well as a really clear visual punch.
That is a poem that really gets in and then lets it out again - primal stuff! Great - thanks.
you know what I thought of your poem? GGGgggggrrrrrooooooooowwwwwwwwlllllll!!! You made me hear it again - that grumble that's been happening to me deep down since I began blogging. I'm going to cut and paste this poem with your name on it and put it on my board to inspire me every single day. You are amazing, my friend!! Let's use this poem to start our revolution!! xo
beautiful poem -- of yours, -- Liz... brave one you are. I like that website of the Friends of Stafford. It's fun to explore around, read other people's experiences of him. But even better is reading (out loud) your experience of you, because I feel that I know you (a little) and never had the chance to know Stafford. May you continue to grow by such leaps and jumps as you have in the last few months.
Maureen
(p.s. I've been gone for a few weeks, just back now and catching my breath, but I had to come see what you've been up to. I've read every post you wrote since the first week of April ... you're amazing, girl!)