This poet, A.R. Ammons, is a treasure! I discovered him way too late in my life but have been playing catchup for the past 12 years. And the joy I have derived from that work has been enormous!
This is a gentle man. I am attaching a YouTube audio of him reading one of his very famous poems Corson’s Inlet, so you can hear him recite it in his lilting southern accent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDwfdNT-ym4
Much of his poetry is based in nature---at least the poems that have resonated strongly with me have seemed that way. And Corson’s Inlet is a perfectly lovely example of that. But he brings so much more than merely gorgeous words about the natural world to his poetry. He manages to entwine a spiritual element, it seems to me, that isn’t sappy or preachy but strikes me as solid and also paradoxical. It’s really amazing.
The way he sees the world is completely lovely, even when he’s describing things decaying----entropy. This is because his connection to life and all its stages is his purpose, not any need to paint ugly or shameful.
So, even though Corson’s Inlet is a completely wonderful poem, and I hope it will resonate with you and fill your heart with delight, I am also including another of his poems as a special treat. This one is entitled “STILL”. In this, he is a seeker, trying to look deeply to find something of real worth to put himself into. Is he looking for external validation? Is that what you read in this poem? I’m not sure about this----I’ve used it in many of my classes in Leadership to spark discussions----what does it say, if anything, to you? I don’t think there’s a definitive answer to this question---and that makes it a great jumping off place for conversation and personal musings. Is this a hopeful poem, after all? (https://poets.org/poem/still)
I hope you enjoy this poem and perhaps seek out more of A.R. Ammons poetry. I think he’s a gem!