Friday, October 27, 2006

Life Exists and You Are Here

Life exists

and identity.

The powerful play of life goes on, and YOU may contribute a verse.

I'd been thinking for a while of writing about poetry and its place and why it touches me so deeply - wanting to help others be so profoundly touched. I was watching "Dead Poet's Society" last night, and I was so struck by the following lines on so many levels that I want to write it down for myself and my readers.
We do not read and write poetry because it is cute.

We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race, and the human race is filled with passion

Medicine, law, business, engineering; these are noble pursuits, and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love; these are what we stay alive for.

To quote from Whitman:
“O me, O life of the questions
Of these recurring.
Of the endless trains of the faithless.
Of cities filled with the foolish
What good amid these,
O me, O life?”
Answer:
"That you are here.
That life exists
And identity.
That the powerful play
Goes on,
And you may contribute
A verse."
"That the powerful play goes on, and YOU may contribute a verse."



What will your verse be?




Walt Whitman 1819-1892
Dead Poet's Society (1989) written by Tom Schulman; directedy by Peter Weir

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I know it's terribly trite that these words come to me by way of a recent commercial, but I'm so inspired by these words as well! I was doing a google search to find the original poem and came across your post. As a teacher, I'm trying to live the writer's life as well, as authentically as possible, (which is sad, because I was an English major and loved to write in college, but can't find the time to do it with the "juggle" today as a working mom!) But these words of Walt's have been knocking around in my brain for the last few days and I'm ready to crack a new notebook and go! Thanks for sharing!