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
ask hate ice love mistakes river slow strongest time tried
Some time when the river is ice ask memistakes I have made. Ask me whetherwhat I have done is my life. Othershave come in their slow way intomy thought, and some have tried to helpor to hurt: ask me what differencetheir strongest love or hate has made.
ask difference hate help ice love mistakes others river slow strongest time tried whether
Some time when the river is ice ask me mistakes I have made. Ask me whether what I have done is my life. Others have come in their slow way into my thought, and some have tried to help or to hurt: ask me what difference their strongest love or hate has made.
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.
common heroes locate ourselves time
It is time for all the heroes to go homeif they have any, time for all of us common onesto locate ourselves by the real thingswe live by.
common heroes home locate ourselves time
It is time for all the heroes to go home if they have any, time for all of us common ones to locate ourselves by the real things we live by.
gain led pure time
We are led one thing at a time to that pure gain -- all that we lose.
again came face happened life slant takes time turns
They tell how it was, and how time came along, and how it happened again and again. They tell the slant life takes when it turns and slashes your face as a friend.
fire time
And sometimes when they look in the firethey see time going on and someone alone,but they don't say anything.
fire time
And sometimes when they look in the fire they see time going on and someone alone, but they don't say anything.
arrange author prayer time trying
And all the time it's your own story, even when you think -- "It's all just made up, a trick. What is the author trying to do?" Reader, we are in such a story: all of this is trying to arrange a kind of prayer for you. Pray for me.
speaks
The world speaks everything to us. It is our only friend.
acting saddest self
The saddest are those not right in their liveswho are acting to make things right for others:they act only from the self --and that self will never be right:no luck, no help, no wisdom.
curve desert elbows might noon particular
At noon in the desert a panting lizardwaited for history, its elbows tense,watching the curve of a particular roadas if something might happen.