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Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, by Francisco de Goya
William Stafford

William Stafford

Confessions of an Individual

I let history happen – sorry. When Muslims and Christians fought in the Crusades, I didn’t stop it; the Egyptians and Jews clashed and my efforts were not sufficient to prevent that. Remote effects from these disasters still exist, and I have not erased them. My ancestors were busy cutting hay, planting potatoes, and so on. True, they probably spent a lot of time drinking and talking, and let that go on for years - I can’t deny it.

On the other hand, a group of people discovered wheat, corn, smelting of iron, prevention of disease, and I didn’t help very much. Heroic actions took place, and I didn’t even take the trouble to be there. Now I am taking the time to think about all this and write it down. And you are taking the time to read it.

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After Arguing against the Contention That Art Must Come from Discontent

Whispering to each handhold, “I’l… I go up the cliff in the dark. On… I loosen a rock and listen a long… till it hits, faint in the gulf, b… of the torrent almost drowns it ou…
An Oregon Message

When we first moved here, pulled the trees in around us, curled our backs to the wind, no one had ever hit the moon—no one. Now our trees are safer than the s…
In the Deep Channel

Setting a trotline after sundown if we went far enough away in the… sometimes up out of deep water would come a secret-headed channel… Eyes that were still eyes in the r…
Remembering

When there was air, when you could breathe any day if you liked, and… wanted to you could run. I used to climb those hills back of town and follow a gully so my eyes were at…
Once in the 40’s

We were alone one night on a long road in Montana. This was in wint… night, far to the stars. We had hi… my wife and I, and left our ride a… a crossing to go on. Tired and col…
Report to Crazy Horse

All the Sioux were defeated. Our… got poor, but a few got richer. They fought two wars. I did not take part. No one remembers your v… or even your real name. Now
Security

Tomorrow will have an island. Bef… I always find it. Then on to the… These places hidden in the day sep… and come forward if you beckon. But you have to know they are ther…
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Humanities Lecture

Aristotle was a little man with eyes like a lizard, and he found a… down the midst of things, a smooth… much more important than the carve… on the coffins of the great.
A Message from the Wanderer

Today outside your prison I stand and rattle my walking stick: Priso… you have relatives outside. And th… thousands of ways to escape. Years ago I bent my skill to keep…
Bi-Focal

Sometimes up out of this land a legend begins to move. Is it a coming near of something under love? Love is of the earth only,
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Peace Walk

We wondered what our walk should m… taking that un-march quietly; the sun stared at our signs—“Thou… Men by a tavern said, “Those fore… to a woman with a fur, who turned…
Visions

Once in Mexico an old man was leading on a string—was it a cat? And we saw it was a tarantula sidling along in the dust, writing a message from God for people who
Accountability

Cold nights outside the taverns in… pickups and big semis lounge idlin… haunches twitch now and then in gu… their owners inside for hours, for… as they can the miles, the circlin…
With Kit, Age 7, at the Beach

We would climb the highest dune, from there to gaze and come down: the ocean was performing; we contributed our climb. Waves leapfrogged and came
Just Thinking

Got up on a cool morning. Leaned… No cloud, no wind. Air that flowe… for awhile. Some dove somewhere. Been on probation most of my life.… the rest of my life been condemned…



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