Happy New Year friends. I hope 2008 brings us all peace and happiness. Although this poem refers to spring, I always think of it this time of year when I am ready to burn it all down and start fresh. See you all in the new year.
A Purification
At the start of spring I open a trench
In the ground. I put into it
The winter's accumulation of paper,
Pages I do not want to read
Again, useless words, fragments,
Errors. And I put into it
The contents of the outhouse:
Light of the sun, growth of the ground,
Finished with one of their journeys.
To the sky, to the wind, then,
And to the faithful trees, I confess
My sins: that I have not been happy
Enough, considering my good luck;
Have listened to too much noise;
Have been inattentive to wonders;
Have lusted after praise.
And then upon the gathered refuse
Of mind and body, I close the trench.
Folding shut against the dark,
The deathless earth. Beneath that seal
The old escapes into the new.
Wendell Berry. Collected Poems. 1987.
beautiful. happy new year amy! xo
Posted by: shari | 31 December 2007 at 07:41 PM
I've never read this one before. It's perfect, Amy.
Happy 2008!
Posted by: Liz | 01 January 2008 at 02:46 PM
What a perfect poem to start the new year, indeed. May your 2008 be rich in colorful life experiences.
Posted by: bohemiangirl | 02 January 2008 at 05:15 PM
happy new year amy. thank you for sharing this poem, it is perfect.
(i am thinking about going to the library saturday - been avoiding it because of a huge fine i know i must pay - and wendell berry will be at the top of my list of books to check out)
Posted by: liz elayne | 10 January 2008 at 08:08 AM