It’s National Poetry Month!

by Marcus on April 2, 2007

Steve McCoy over at ReformissionaryÂ reminded me that April is National Poetry Month.

With that in mind, I wanted to share a recent wonderful discovery from Wendell Berry. (L.L. has been talking about him a lot lately over at Seedlings.)

Walking on the River Ice

A man could be a god
if the ice wouldn’t melt
and he could stand the cold.

For me, that is the kind of powerful and subtle imagery that brings me back to poetry again and again. Beautiful stuff.

{ 9 comments }

1 Jenn April 3, 2007 at 9:45 am: Yeah. I’m not much of a poet myself, but that kind of thing is tremendous. Perhaps I shall include it in my sig @ the bottom of my emails . . .
2 Marcus April 3, 2007 at 10:28 am: That would make quite a disturbing signature!
3 L.L. Barkat April 3, 2007 at 12:05 pm: Yes, I need to look into his poetry more. The closest I’ve come is reciting one of his love poems at a golden anniversary last year. “The Wild Rose.”

Does he have any published collections?
4 Marcus April 3, 2007 at 12:51 pm: I’ve been working through The Collected Poems 1957-1982
5 L.L. Barkat April 3, 2007 at 3:45 pm: Okay, so I just ordered it from the library. Can’t wait to work with you!
6 T.F. April 5, 2007 at 2:26 pm: Oh my goodness. Thanks for reminding me. I am so amazed I forgot about this.
7 Marcus April 5, 2007 at 3:47 pm: I had forgotten too. And it was always a big deal when I was teaching.
8 Ted Gossard April 5, 2007 at 7:16 pm: Wow. I wish I would get poetry better. I guess it means slowing down. I do love the poetry in Scripture like in the psalms.
9 Charity Singleton April 9, 2007 at 5:32 pm: I’ve been submerging myself in Berry recently, too, but have been remiss to get his poetry. I’m going to hit the library site next!