A few days after explaining to a friend that poetry is a genre that I generally avoid, or at least rarely turn to gladly, up pops a small collection by Wendell Berry in the local bookstore. Of course I had to read it, and it quickly moved the 'poetry genre' needle in the direction of my being likely to read more.

The poem I enjoyed the most was titled "The Reassurer", of which everybody should take some time to search out, and I won't be quoting here. However, here's some brief examples of others you will find in this brief collection that I will surely be returning to:

From "Prayers and Sayings of the Mad Farmer":
"When I rise up
let me rise up joyful
like a bird.

When I fall
let me fall without regret
like a leaf."

From "Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front":
"As soon as the generals and politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn't go. Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection."

From "Some Further Words":
"Neither this world or any of its places
is an 'environment'. And a house for sale
is not a 'home'. Economics
is not a 'science', nor 'information' knowledge.
A knave with a degree is a knave. A fool
in public office is not a 'leader'.
A rich thief is a thief. And the ghost
of Arthur Moore, who taught me Chaucer,
returns in the night to say again:
'Let me tell you something boy.
An intellectual whore is a whore."