Sound of the Ax: Aphorisms and Poems by William Stafford

Wixon, Vincent; Merchant, Paul

Sound of the Ax

Aphorisms and Poems by William Stafford

Edited by Edited by Vincent Wixon and Paul Merchant

Publication Year: 2014

Sound of the Ax brings together for the first time over four hundred aphorisms and twenty-six aphoristic poems by one of America’s most essential poets of the twentieth century. Many readers are familiar with the trenchant nature of William Stafford’s poems, with lines such as “Justice will take us millions of intricate moves” and “Your job is to find what the world is trying to be,” but have never had the opportunity to read a sustained selection from the thousands of wise, witty, and penetrating statements he created in over forty years of daily writing in his journal. In keeping with Stafford’s varied interests, the aphorisms in Sound of the Ax explore many topics—war and peace, involvement, aging, appearances, fear, egotism, writing, nature, animals, suffering, faith, living an ethical life, and so on—with his incisive view. The poems are either made up entirely or primarily aphorisms, and range from the well-known “Things I Learned Last Week” to some never before collected. Readers will find much to enjoy and to think about here, and will return over and over to Sound of the Ax for inspiration, pleasure, and wisdom from an author noted for his integrity and mindful living.

Sound of the Ax

Cover

Title Page, Copyright Page

Editors’ Preface

Aphorisms and Poems

Climbing along the River

The Sparkle Depends on Flaws in the Diamond

Keepsakes

Note

Sayings of the Blind

Sayings from the Northern Ice

Butterflies in the Radiator Grill

Written on the Stub of the First Paycheck

Song Now

Wild Horse Lore

.38

The Gospel Is Whatever Happens

So Long

Salvaged Parts

Artist, Come Home

Things the Wind Says

Optimism

Buddha’s Thoughts

Put These in Your Pipe

Consolations

The Dream of Now

Influential Writers

Mein Kampf

[A Well-Oiled Gate]

Things I Learned Last Week

Tuned In Late One Night

Acknowledgments

Back Cover

Research Areas

Recommend

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