Lit Instructor
July 6, 2023For My Young Friends Who Are Afraid
July 6, 2023Graydigger’s Home
Paw marks near one burrow show Graydigger
at home, I bend low, from down there swivel
my head, grasstop level–the world
goes on forever, the mountains a bigger
burrow, their snow like last winter. From a room
inside the world even the strongest wind
has a soft sound: a new house will hide
in the grass; footsteps are only the summer people.
The real estate agent is saying, “Utilities . . .
easy payments, a view.” I see
my prints in the dirt. Out there
in the wind we talk about credit, security–
there on the bank by Graydigger’s home.
William Stafford
William Stafford (1914-1993) was an American poet and pacifist. He worked as a professor of English at Lewis & Clark College and authored over 50 books of poetry and prose. Stafford's poetry often explored themes of nature, peace, and the human experience. Some of his most famous works include "Traveling Through the Dark," "At the Un-National Monument Along the Canadian Border," and "The Way It Is." Stafford was known for his simple and direct language, and his ability to find beauty in everyday experiences.