William Stafford Quotes
Top 60 wise famous quotes and sayings by William Stafford
William Stafford Famous Quotes & Sayings
Discover top inspirational quotes from William Stafford on Wise Famous Quotes.
They say that history is going on somewhere.
They say it won't stop. I have held
One picture still for a long time and waited.
They say it won't stop. I have held
One picture still for a long time and waited.
There may be losses too great to understand
That rove after you and
faint and terrible
rip unknown through your hand.
That rove after you and
faint and terrible
rip unknown through your hand.
When a goat likes a book, the whole book is gone,
and the meaning has to go find an author again.
- The Trouble With Reading
and the meaning has to go find an author again.
- The Trouble With Reading
Reluctant hero, drafted again each Fourth
of July, I'll bow and remember you. Who
shall we follow next? Who shall we kill
next time?
of July, I'll bow and remember you. Who
shall we follow next? Who shall we kill
next time?
Will you ever bring a better gift for the world
than the breathing respect that you carry
wherever you go right now?
than the breathing respect that you carry
wherever you go right now?
Literature is not a picture of life, but is a separate experience with its own kind of flow and enhancement.
The root and the flower have to trust each other. If the root does not trust, the plant won't blossom.
It is as if the ordinary language we use every day has a hidden set of signals, a kind of secret code.
It's love,' they say. You touch the right one and a whole half of the universe wakes up, a new half.
One way to find your place is like the rain, a million requests for lodging, one that wins, finds your cheek: you find your home.
I heard a bird congratulating itself
all day for being a jay.
Nobody cared. But it was glad
all over again, and said so, again.
all day for being a jay.
Nobody cared. But it was glad
all over again, and said so, again.
What you fear will not go away; it will take you into yourself and bless you and keep you. That's the world, and we all live there.
Those who champion democracy, but make a fetish of never accepting anything they don't agree with
what advantage do they see in democracy?
what advantage do they see in democracy?
Can injustice one way be corrected without the interim reaction that tries to impose injustice the other way?
Let the bucket of memory down into the well, bring it up. Cool, cool minutes. No one stirring, no plans. Just being there.
In every town we lived in, there was one great big door ready to open for anyone - the library. And I never met a library I didn't like.
Some people are blinded by their experience. Soldiers know how important war is. Owners of slaves learn every day how inferior subject peoples are.
The earth says have a place, be what that place
requires; hear the sound the birds imply
and see as deep as ridges go behind
each other.
requires; hear the sound the birds imply
and see as deep as ridges go behind
each other.