Returned To Say
July 6, 2023Notice What This Poem Is Not Doing
July 6, 2023Remembering Mountain Men
I put my foot in cold water
and hold it there: early mornings
they had to wade through broken ice
to find the traps in the deep channel
with their hands, drag up the chains and
the drowned beaver. The slow current
of the life below tugs at me all day.
When I dream at night, they save a place for me,
no matter how small, somewhere by the fire.
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.