Riehlife Poem of the Day: William Stafford’s “Note” from “Allegiances”

As a candidate for my masters degree in English literature at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in the early 1970s, I co-edited the literary journal there, “Sou’Wester.” One of my poems that appeared there (juried of course by my co-editor) was “Under Mama’s Yew Tree.” Somehow it came to William Stafford’s attention across the country and he liked it. I’ve always treasured that nod from one of our greatest and most to-the-bone American poets. —JGR

Photo by Joao Estevao Andrade de Freitas

NOTE
by William Stafford (1914-1993)
Allegiances

straw, feathers, dust—
little things

but if they all go one way,
that’s the way the wind goes.