Thursday, October 14, 2010

Chasing Dreams


How To Be a Poet

BY WENDELL BERRY
(to remind myself)
i

Make a place to sit down.
Sit down. Be quiet.
You must depend upon
affection, reading, knowledge,
skill—more of each
than you have—inspiration,
work, growing older, patience,
for patience joins time
to eternity. Any readers
who like your poems,
doubt their judgment.

ii

Breathe with unconditional breath
the unconditioned air.
Shun electric wire.
Communicate slowly. Live
a three-dimensioned life;
stay away from screens.
Stay away from anything
that obscures the place it is in.
There are no unsacred places;
there are only sacred places
and desecrated places.

iii

Accept what comes from silence.
Make the best you can of it.
Of the little words that come
out of the silence, like prayers
prayed back to the one who prays,
make a poem that does not disturb
the silence from which it came.

5 comments:

  1. Emme! You GO Girl! Good for you! I think it is SO AWESOME that you know deep in your being what you want and need to do. I envy that. I feel like there is a next step ahead of me but feel so uncertain what direction that may be. Wishing i felt so strongly compelled in one direction that there would be no question..... It's inspiring to see you charge ahead! Go get em Emme! Write your sweet heart out! Best of Luck and Wishes! xoxox Jennette

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is so exciting - I wish you everything of the best as you follow your dream! I have no doubt you will succeed - all the very best to you xoxox

    ReplyDelete
  3. OMG!! Good luck, Emme!!! Can't wait to hear all about it. So awesome that you are going for your dream. xo

    ReplyDelete
  4. Good luck, Emme! I can really relate to finding space in unplugging...to focus on your dream. I started my blog just 3 weeks ago and I'm loving it, but I'm realizing that all of this time in front of the screen is sometimes keeping me away from some important other dreams in my life. I am sending your spirit happy energy as you take this next step in your life...once we put something out the universe, it has a way of coming back to us in an unexpected, but most wonderful way. Let us know how the application process goes!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Best of luck to you! You can do it! :)

    ReplyDelete