Father and Son

Kim Stafford reads to us from his father William Stafford's poem collection Ask Me, the 100 "essential" William Stafford poems published on this, the celebration of 100 years since his birth. The class this week has been such an important glimpse into the person of William Stafford, his writing practices, his teaching, his personal life as pacifist, husband, father. Lewis and Clark College, where he taught for many years, has opened their archives to us, and it has been a treasure trove.

Kim has become a treasure to me as well. He has been a mentor, teacher, confidant, and friend to me over the years. I count myself so extremely fortunate in crossing paths so many times with him over the years. He's truly one of the Good Guys.

While I'm working this week with the William Stafford poem "The Animal That Drank Up Sound", I'll post one (it's so hard to pick just one) of my favorite poems from him: "You Reading This, Be Ready" (written two days before his death in 1993):

You Reading This, Be Ready

Starting here, what do you want to remember?
How sunlight creeps along a shining floor?
What scent of old wood hovers, what softened
sound from outside fills the air?

Will you ever bring a better gift for the world
than the breathing respect that you carry
wherever you go right now? Are you waiting
for time to show you some better thoughts?

When you turn around, starting here, lift this
new glimpse that you found; carry into evening
all that you want from this day. This interval you spent
reading or hearing this, keep it for life –

What can anyone give you greater than now,
starting here, right in this room, when you turn around?

William Stafford