This poem by Wendell Berry has some very striking lines. I was struck in particular by these - which seem to speak to us of surrendering slowly to the will of the earth to break us down into some sort of compost from which other life forms will eventually rise up.
"I am slowly falling into the fund of things. And yet
I never thought of "serving the Earth". To have it (gardening, planting, burying, etc.) put in that way was so interesting to me too. Thank you for this poem, Wendell Berry. :)
I love this poem. What he is really serving is bacteria, fungus, and other unicellular organisms in quantities beyond imagining. That's where we come from, and that is the community are the we join when we die. In fact, that's what comprises us: trillions of unicellular organisms all doing their darnedest to keep the community going.
By that notion, humans should not exist. All we do is pollute the environment and replace diverse biosystems with monoculture farming. We're not even good as fertilizer, so toxic our bodies become... full of heavy metals and what not.
I love the poem and its theme about the innate value in growing, nurturing and giving back to the earth in positive ways. A wonderful message and beautifully written.
"I am slowly falling into the fund of things." Taking care of the land, one becomes the land. To me "the fund" implies something of value, something that grows. I've only read a bit of Berry's works, but the constant metaphor of an agrarian approach indicates a moral baseline from which he doesn't waver. He is outspoken and brave in his life and his works.
Really love what Berry is pointing at here.. the death process — so mysterious to our life-and-activity-obsessed world paradigm — sits behind a veil that many people are uncomfortable to approach, even in contemplation.
But we miss half of life, when we don’t contemplate death.
Death has so much to show us about life. Dying makes living that much richer.. and vice versa.
Wendell Berry’s poetry feeds my soul. So true and real the way he talks about life, hope, and our soul’s work. Our purpose for being here is to sow encouragement, reap encouragement, and leave the world more beautiful than we found it.
Thank you for introducing me to this beauty of a poem, stopped me in my tracks! Such a cadence, such truth. Now reading up on Berry! Thank you for your work.
This poem by Wendell Berry has some very striking lines. I was struck in particular by these - which seem to speak to us of surrendering slowly to the will of the earth to break us down into some sort of compost from which other life forms will eventually rise up.
"I am slowly falling into the fund of things. And yet
yet to serve the earth,
not knowing what I serve."
I never thought of "serving the Earth". To have it (gardening, planting, burying, etc.) put in that way was so interesting to me too. Thank you for this poem, Wendell Berry. :)
I love this poem. What he is really serving is bacteria, fungus, and other unicellular organisms in quantities beyond imagining. That's where we come from, and that is the community are the we join when we die. In fact, that's what comprises us: trillions of unicellular organisms all doing their darnedest to keep the community going.
By that notion, humans should not exist. All we do is pollute the environment and replace diverse biosystems with monoculture farming. We're not even good as fertilizer, so toxic our bodies become... full of heavy metals and what not.
I love this summation. So well said; between the mycelium networks and the stars, a little perspective on human life goes a long way.
I'm glad you didn't take it personally. Unfortunately, nature doesn't care what you think. At least not in the long run.
Also neither the poem nor I ever mentioned Darwin or race in any way. Another AI troll.
“And so what was heaviest
and most mute is at last raised up into song.”
I’m thinking a lot about how to fortify the soil for next year’s garden. I love Wendell Berry’s work.
This line spoke to me the most too. ✨
A hymn to the reciprocal harmony of nature. Even purely materially we are all a part of one another.
I love the poem and its theme about the innate value in growing, nurturing and giving back to the earth in positive ways. A wonderful message and beautifully written.
"I am slowly falling into the fund of things." Taking care of the land, one becomes the land. To me "the fund" implies something of value, something that grows. I've only read a bit of Berry's works, but the constant metaphor of an agrarian approach indicates a moral baseline from which he doesn't waver. He is outspoken and brave in his life and his works.
Really love what Berry is pointing at here.. the death process — so mysterious to our life-and-activity-obsessed world paradigm — sits behind a veil that many people are uncomfortable to approach, even in contemplation.
But we miss half of life, when we don’t contemplate death.
Death has so much to show us about life. Dying makes living that much richer.. and vice versa.
Beautiful poem. Appreciate you sharing this one.
Fucking gorgeous song to life
Wendell Berry’s poetry feeds my soul. So true and real the way he talks about life, hope, and our soul’s work. Our purpose for being here is to sow encouragement, reap encouragement, and leave the world more beautiful than we found it.
Beautiful poem
It's beautiful ❤️
Thank you for introducing me to this beauty of a poem, stopped me in my tracks! Such a cadence, such truth. Now reading up on Berry! Thank you for your work.
Poems like this really do connect you to the whole. Very nice.
For those who dabble in Biblical, Plane or Flat earth, here is a summation that you might get a kick out of:
https://soberchristiangentlemanpodcast.substack.com/p/s1-listener-question-biblical-cosmology
The venerable Wendell Berry.