One of our teachers shared this poem by Wendell Berry in our faculty meeting this morning. It seems so appropriate, as I get huge mounds of student work in today and plan to spend the next few days working and working and working to get it all done. As Berry says, "And yet no leaf or grain is filled/ By work of ours..."
X
by Wendell Berry
Whatever is foreseen in joy
Must be lived out from day to day.
Vision held open in the dark
By our ten thousand days of work.
Harvest will fill the barn; for that
The hand must ache, the face must sweat.
And yet no leaf or grain is filled
By work of ours; the field is tilled
And left to grace.
You can read the rest here.
And you can find the delicious Poetry Friday roundup here.
2 hours ago
8 comments:
Hadn't seen that poem before. Yes, we all can relate :).
The field is tilled and left to grace. Oh, I needed that today! Thank you, Ruth. xo
It's work to fill that barn, write this novel, craft this poem.
PF appreciations to Ruth, with a bit of honest sweat,
for sharing Wendell Berry "X" via GK & The Writer's Almanac.
ps What does anyone make of this striking poem's title?
The X is 10. This is one of Berry's "Sabbath poems." For many years he would take a walk every Sunday and write a poem. This one is number ten in one of the collections.
I don't have so much assessment work anymore, Ruth, but I remember those nights, paper after paper, or journal after journal. You've connected this well to teachers-so much to do 'after' hours: "Harvest will fill the barn; for that
The hand must ache, the face must sweat." I always felt good satisfaction when the barn was filled, however. Thanks for sharing this.
Yes, it is to be that kind of weekend for me...so thank you for this poem reminding one that rest, too, is essential.
"The hand must ache, the face must sweat." Yes, there is no avoiding the hard work that must be done.
I love the idea of faculty meetings starting with poetry. That is how it should be. :)
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