Ask Me Poem by William Stafford

Ask Me

Rating: 3.8


Some time when the river is ice ask me
mistakes I have made. Ask me whether
what I have done is my life. Others
have come in their slow way into
my thought, and some have tried to help
or to hurt: ask me what difference
their strongest love or hate has made.

I will listen to what you say.
You and I can turn and look
at the silent river and wait. We know
the current is there, hidden; and there
are comings and goings from miles away
that hold the stillness exactly before us.
What the river says, that is what I say.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Julie Reynolds-Otrugman 17 January 2009

This is one of my favorite Stafford poems. It speaks to his quiet inner stillness, out of which his conviction, his steadfastness, his mysteriously reserved and resonant poetry speaks. 'Ask me whether what I have done is my life.' That is such a powerful statement. All of his many honors really meant very little. It was the rich pool of his hidden inner life, forever changing and renewing, that was 'his life'. I love that idea. It says that what you can see about a person is only the tip of the iceberg; the real life is submerged and sacred, untouchable, eternal.

31 3 Reply
Jerry Buckley 22 March 2010

I agree with Julie Reynolds- Otrugman.....what she said... six stars and three thumbs up

12 3 Reply
Kid Me 30 March 2017

if you asking me I think you should've kys yourself before you died bc you depressed af cuz

4 11 Reply
John Tiong Chunghoo 25 March 2006

yes, so meaningful is this poem. swift river so is time listen to the river

6 9 Reply
Aftab Alam Khursheed 14 November 2014

poem that is on sublimity ask me..thank

3 4 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 09 June 2024

Congrats being chosen by Poem Hunter and Team as The Modern Poem Of The Day. Most deserving 5 Stars!

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Sylvia Frances Chan 09 June 2024

THREE: Summed up, it encourages embracing authenticity without reservation, urging individuals to reveal their true selves rather than hiding behind a facade of perfection.

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Sylvia Frances Chan 09 June 2024

TWO: Just as the river remains beneath the ice, the speaker suggests that their core self remains unchanged despite life's transient shifts.

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Sylvia Frances Chan 09 June 2024

ONE: This poem explores themes of life, love, hate, change, and memories. The poem uses the metaphor of a frozen river in winter to symbolize life's constancy and aging.

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Sylvia Frances Chan 16 February 2024

The poem prompts introspection, urging us to consider our past choices and the impact of others on our life's journey. The best poem I ever read of the poet

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