This Week Sundays Are For Poetry

I’m not much for poetry (mostly because I feel a lot of it goes right.over.my.head) but I read this the other day and it made me feel better about things that are happening in the world right now. I hope it will have the same effect on you.

poor meadow for carole kntis

The Peace of Wild Things

BY WENDELL BERRY

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Happy Sunday, all.

Related Posts

Comments (14)

  2. That poem is so lovely; a friend shared it at a meeting several months ago, and it has been so nice seeing it pop up again this week, a week that definitely needed that sort of reminder. Happy Sunday to you!

  7. I’ve read some of Wendell Berry’s environmental essays and fiction, but didn’t know he was also a poet. His message here is much-needed and well-heeded. Thank you!

  12. My apologies. You have graced us with your daily posts and Sunday cruised right by without a ok at the computer. Thank you for posting this lovely poem–it is a no longer forgotten favorite.

  14. I read very little poetry. I have a few favorites from among the poets I studied in grammar school, high school, &college, but even though I have a cousin who has published a couple of books of his poetry, I rarely make time for it. However, this poem really spoke to me in light of all that is happening in our world. Thank you for sharing!

Comments are closed.

Back To Top