An Homage To William Stafford Poem by Clyde King

William Stafford, you
are a true stoic.
You are not a loud,
pretentious, verbose
boor of a poet.

You never used fifty cent
words when ten cent ones
would do. You looked at things
clearly, too: yourself, your family,
your tribe, other people,
animals, objects, and thoughts.

It was your thoughts on thoughts
that fascinated, amazed me.
Your consciousness of your own thinking
and your examinations of the
ordinary events in life were
magnified for me. You came
to terms with the things
you understood, and when you
couldn't, you said so
plainly, honestly.

I love your poem 'A Ritual
to Read to Each Other, '
evoking your indigenous
inheritances. Your last stanza
sums it all up: 'For it is important
that awake people be awake...
the signals we give-yes or no or maybe
should be clear: the darkness around us is deep.'

Requiescat in pace, Mr. Stafford.