The Peace Of Wild Things

I think Wendell Berry should receive more attention and much more re-reading. Essential to his poetry and writing is the idea that the world is divorced from the land, from nature and heading down a road of estrangement with terrifying consequences.

Berry thought of the world, of life as divided into two minds; the efficient, the exploitative and the nascent and nurturing. The first being the “modern” technological, time obsessed world of quantity, the particular, self-importance and achievement. The second being the “ancient”, perennial (please see Huxley’s distinction in his fine anthology - The Perennial philosophy), qualitative, disarmed, universal mind. The distinction is really one asking, “Is the world ours to use and abuse or is the world ours to take care of, to grow with?” Or, more succinctly - “Are we at home in the world (insider) or are we separated from it (outsider)?”

I think his distinction regarding these two “minds” and archetypes is a correct one.

In my recent travels, looking out many train windows for hours, I got the feeling the whole beautiful, splendorous world we live in, was being gobbled up by some moloch, a devouring beast of outlet malls, apartments, parking lots, concrete and artificial light … We are losing much in this conquering process. Perhaps our very souls, our roots and connection to the land. Perhaps that is the cause of war itself - the social derangement that comes from our dispossession, our exile from the natural, innate, untame, home - the world of peace in the wilderness.

This poem speaks volumes to me and I wanted to share. Made the video and hopefully Berry’s voice and the images will touch more people.

The Peace Of Wild Things - Wendell Berry

WHEN DESPAIR FOR THE WORLD GROWS IN ME

AND I WAKE IN THE NIGHT AT THE LEAST SOUND

IN FEAR OF WHAT MY LIFE AND MY CHILDREN’S LIVES MIGHT BE,

I GO AND LIE DOWN WHERE THE WOOD DRAKE

RESTS IN HIS BEAUTY ON THE WATER,

AND THE GREAT HERON FEEDS.

I COME INTO THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS

WHO DO NOT TAX THEIR LIVES WITH FORETHOUGHT

OF GRIEF. I COME INTO THE PRESENCE OF STILL WATER.

AND I FEEL ABOVE ME THE DAY-BLIND STARS

WAITING WITH THEIR LIGHT. FOR A TIME

I REST IN THE GRACE OF THE WORLD, AND AM FREE.