I’ve never been much of a reader of poetry, other than infrequently, but for some reason while going to the grocery store this morning (by far the best time to go appears to be 7:30 a.m. on Sunday morning–but I should not have skipped the coffee to get there early) I heard e. e. cummings on NPR and had to come home and find more.
may my
heart always be open to little
birds who
are the secrets of living
whatever
they sing is better than to know
and if men
should not hear them men are old
may my mind
stroll about hungry
and
fearless and thirsty and supple
and even if
it’s sunday may i be wrong
for
whenever men are right they are not young
and may
myself do nothing usefully
and love
yourself so more than truly
there’s
never been quite such a fool who could fail
pulling all
the sky over him with one smile
e.e. cummings
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best night
and day to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest
battle any human being can fight and never stop fighting.
e.e. cummings