{ Wendell Berry: The Contrariness of the Mad Farmer. }

[delga]

The Contrariness of the Mad Farmer
by Wendell Berry

I am done with apologies. If contrariness is my
inheritance and destiny, so be it. If it is my mission
to go in at exits and come out at entrances, so be it.
I have planted by the stars in defiance of the experts,
and tilled somewhat by incantation and by singing,
and reaped, as I knew, by luck and Heaven’s favor,
in spite of the best advice. If I have been caught
so often laughing at funerals, that was because
I knew the dead were already slipping away,
preparing a comeback, and can I help it?
And if at weddings I have gritted and gnashed
my teeth, it was because I knew where the bridegroom
had sunk his manhood, and knew it would not
be resurrected by a piece of cake. “Dance,” they told me,
and I stood still, and while they stood
quiet in line at the gate of the Kingdom, I danced.
“Pray,” they said, and I laughed, covering myself
in the earth’s brightnesses, and then stole off gray
into the midst of a revel, and prayed like an orphan.
When they said, “I know that my Redeemer liveth,”
I told them “He’s dead.” And when they told me
“God is dead,” I answered “He goes fishing every day
in the Kentucky River. I see Him often.”
When they asked me would I like to contribute
I said no, and when they had collected
more than they needed, I gave them as much as I had.
When they asked me to join them I wouldn’t
and then went off by myself and did more
than they would have asked. “Well, then,” they said
“go and organize the International Brotherhood
of Contraries,” and I said, “Did you finish killing
everybody who was against peace?” So be it.
Going against men, I have heard at times a deep harmony
thrumming in the mixture, and when they ask me what
I say I don’t know. It is not the only or the easiest
way to come to the truth. It is one way.

Comments

[hestia8.livejournal.com]

If it is my mission
to go in at exits and come out at entrances, so be it.

You know, probably about 1 in every 4 or 5 poems you post make me want to write Spooks fic.

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

Ahaha, at least it is not just me? That's cool, though; I can take the heat for that.

Oh, god, I might as well just put this here as apparently I am never going to get around to emailing you about anything: I have been intending to email you! Mostly about Luther, which I stalled on, but also about a podfic thing I am trying to do, plus Macfadyen in Robin Hood and other stuff. Mostly it just feels like a long time since I have spoken to you! Am still here, just...interminably lazy. As ever.

[hestia8.livejournal.com]

:D TBH the vast majority of the poetry I read is the stuff you post, so please continue!

I shall email you! At some point! I have been meaning to for a while but I am rubbish at keeping in proper contact (and frankly I get lazy when I have access to lj). I would say today/tomorrow but I can't seem to get past my general anger at everything right now. But yes, Luther! In which episode 4-6 are SO MUCH better than 1-3, but this isn't much help when most people probably gave up! (which is to say: it does get better, but I don't blame you for stalling)

(and by better I mean 'they stop pretending it's a show that actually makes sense, and just go with it')

PODFIC YAY. I am looking forward to this. In my usual way (i.e. new shiny thing!) I sort of want to, but have no idea if I could do it right. I think I'd struggle with the talky bits. However I do really want to do a podcap/ep commentary one day (will save that for new laptop I think). I might have made up the word podcap.

Wait, MM was in Robin Hood? Did he get to crack a smile? (sorry, I am being slightly mean, I find it more difficult to be interested in his post-Spooks stuff than...almost anyone's)