Poets’ Weather: James Dickey and Mark Twain

Byriehlifegrace April 14, 2008

photo by www.moonraker.com

A poet is someone who stands outside in the rain hoping to be struck by lightning.
—James Dickey

From the length of the bibligraphy of his poetic works, we can surmise that Mr. Dickey was frequently struck by metaphoric lightning.

Mark Twain gives us this advice: “It is best to read the weather forecast before praying for rain.”

Whilst strictly not a poet, Mr. Twain’s pithy epigrams have a distinctive, and poetic flavor, no?

Land Nurtures Generations of Dreamers, Doers, and Writers

Byriehlifegrace May 8, 2007June 2, 2008

When I was growing up we still put up hay by hand, rode horses, milked cows, butchered, gardened and put up our own food, and sewed up ruptured hogs. But, most of all, when I was growing up the land nurtured me as a dreamer. The land raised me as a poet and writer. I…

Prose and Poetry

Two Poems by Two Poets: Eamon Grennan and Janet Grace Riehl

Byriehlifegrace April 12, 2007August 16, 2010

Last year I met Eamon Grennan’s poetry through the Lannan Literary videos, a marvelous resource that deserves a post of its own. Eamon Grennan quickly became one of my favorite poets. Former U. S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins says of Grennan: Few poets are as generous as Eamon Grennan in the sheer volume of delight…

Real Symbolic Actions: Flowers Feed Compassion

Byriehlifegrace April 12, 2008

Hostesses and the floral industry have known this for a long time. But the symbolic action of giving and receiving flowers makes people happy. The tangible symbol of being surrounded by flowers, makes people happier. Now the Home Ecology of Flowers Sudy at Harvard reveals that: 1) Flowers Feed Compassion. 2) Flowers chase away anxieties,…

Maria Edgeworth on Opening Heart to Heart

Byriehlifegrace November 4, 2007November 4, 2007

The human heart, at whatever age, opens only to the heart that opens in return.” ~Maria Edgeworth~ (1 January 1767 – 22 May 1849) Anglo-Irish novelist

A Young Boy Learns to Pray: bedtime vespers

Byriehlifegrace November 18, 2007June 2, 2008

My niece Janean (by way of my brother Gary) is such a good mother. She wrote this touching email to my father who shared it with me. Now Janean has agreed to share it with all of you. It’s a fine example, I think, of moral and spiritual education…of giving structure, but also, giving space….

Excerpt from William Blake’s “On Another’s Sorrow”

Byriehlifegrace August 19, 2007August 19, 2007

Here is one stanza from a nine stanza poem by William Blake that appears in “Songs of Innocence.” I read it as speaking of compassion as part of our interdependent connection…and a sense of spiritual care. –JGR ON ANOTHER’S SORROW (stanza 1 of 9) Can I see another’s woe, And not be in sorrow too?…

One Comment

Lulu says:

April 15, 2008 at 7:30 am

Thanks for checking out my blog. I’m a pretty young writer, and have much to learn. Your comments are appreciated!

I absolutely love that James Dickey quote.

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