Poetry Expresses Love Of The World

 

“When it (poetry) aims to express a love of the world it refuses to conceal the many reasons why the world is hard to love, though we must love it because we have no other, and to fail to love it is not to exist at all.” – Mark Van Doren

Born in June 1894, Van Doren was a poet, writer, critic and professor of English at Columbia University for nearly 40 years, shaping the writing skills of dozens of America’s leading 20^th century writers.  His teaching skills were such that Columbia created an annual award in his name honoring its best teacher as selected by the students.   In 1940, Van Doren was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his poetry. 

 

For Saturday’s Poem, here are Van Doren’s

Nothing Stays                               Spring Thunder

Nothing stays                                    Listen, the wind is still,

not even change,                                And far away in the night –

That can grow tired                         See! The uplands fill

of it's own name;                              With a running light.

The very thought

too much for it.                                Open the doors. It is warm; 

                                                                   And where the sky was clear—

Somewhere in air                            Look! The head of a storm

a stillness is,                                     That marches here!

So far, so thin-                     

But let it alone.                                 Come under the trembling hedge—

Whoever we are                                Fast, although you fumble...

it is not for us                                   There! Did you hear the edge
of winter crumble?

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