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
arrows cloak hidden name touch william
My name is William Tell: when little oppressions touch me arrows hidden in my cloak whisper, "Ready, ready.
best bring communication fragile intense language misleading people poems poetry
I think language does bring us together. Fragile and misleading as it is, it's the best communication we've got, and poetry is language at its most intense and potentially fulfilling. Poems do bring people together.
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.
breathing bring gift respect
Will you ever bring a better gift for the worldthan the breathing respect that you carrywherever you go right now?
came forget remember
Willows never forget how it feelsto be young.Do you remember where you came from?
came feels forget remember
Willows never forget how it feels to be young. Do you remember where you came from?
knowing wisdom
Wisdom is having things right in your lifeand knowing why.
call cruel maybe occurs recognize root
I call it cruel and maybe the root of all crueltyto know what occurs but not recognize the fact.
comforts goes good great wall
A great snug wall goes around everything,has always been there, will alwaysremain. It is a good world to belost in. It comforts you. It isall right. And you sleep.
comforts goes good great lost sleep wall
A great snug wall goes around everything, has always been there, will always remain. It is a good world to be lost in. It comforts you. It is all right. And you sleep.
deep gutter head heard pours silence turn wide
. . . You were aimed from birth:you will never be alone. Rainwill come, a gutter filled, an Amazon,long aisles -- you never heard so deep a sound,moss on rock, and years. You turn your head --that's what the silence meant: you're not alone. The whole wide world pours down.
deep gutter head heard moss pours rain silence turn wide
. . . You were aimed from birth: you will never be alone. Rain will come, a gutter filled, an Amazon, long aisles -- you never heard so deep a sound, moss on rock, and years. You turn your head -- that's what the silence meant: you're not alone. The whole wide world pours down.