Wisdom is having things right in your life and knowing why. — William Stafford Growth Copy Share Image
What you have to do as a writer is . . . write day in and day out no matter what happens. — William Stafford Happens Copy Share Image
When the snake decided to go straight, he didn't get anywhere. — William Stafford Decided Copy Share Image
“Which of the horses we passed yesterday whinnied all night in my dreams? I want that one.” — William Stafford Dreams Copy Share Image
You were aimed from birth: you will never be alone... The whole wide world pours down. — William Stafford Birth Copy Share Image
A writer is someone who has found a process that will bring about new things. — William Stafford Found Copy Share Image
It's love,' they say. You touch the right one and a whole half of the universe wakes up, a new half. — William Stafford Half Copy Share Image
When a goat likes a book, the whole book is gone, and the meaning has to go find an author again. — William Stafford Book Copy Share Image
Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music. — William Stafford Children Copy Share Image
I embrace emerging experience, I participate in discovery. I am a butterfly. I am not a butterfly collector. I want the experience… — William Stafford Butterfly Copy Share Image
They miss the whisper that runs any day in your mind, "Who are you really, wanderer?"-- and the answer you have to… — William Stafford Answers Copy Share Image
It is this impulse to change the quality of experience that I recognize as central to creation. . . . Out of… — William Stafford Creation Copy Share Image
Once we have tasted far streams, touched the gold, found some limit beyond the waterfall, a season changes and we come back… — William Stafford Changed Copy Share Image
Everyone is born a poet - a person discovering the way words sound and work, caring and delighting in words. I just… — William Stafford Born Copy Share Image
“Readers should not be loaded with more information and guidance than a lively mind needs--puzzlement can be accepted, but insulting clarity is… — William Stafford Books Copy Share Image
I heard a bird congratulating itself all day for being a jay. Nobody cared. But it was glad all over again, and… — William Stafford Bird Copy Share Image
A student comes to me with a piece of writing, holds it out, says, 'Is this good?' A whole sequence of emergencies… — William Stafford Asks Copy Share Image
I keep following this sort of hidden river of my life, you know, whatever the topic or impulse which comes, I follow… — William Stafford Crescendo Copy Share Image
The things you do not have to say make you rich. Saying things you do not have to say weakens your talk.… — William Stafford Hearing Copy Share Image
“Assurance" You will never be alone, you hear so deep a sound when autumn comes. Yellow pulls across the hills and thrums,… — William Stafford Assurance Copy Share Image
I have this feeling of wending my way or plundering through a mysterious jungle of possibilities when I am writing. This jungle… — William Stafford Developing Copy Share Image
“With Kit, Age Seven, at the Beach We would climb the highest dune, from there to gaze and come down: the ocean… — William Stafford Gaze Copy Share Image
The things you do not have to say make you rich. Saying the things you do not have to say weakens your… — William Stafford Hearing Copy Share Image
I have a feeling that art is something you do for yourself, and that any time you turn your decisions over to… — William Stafford Accepting Copy Share Image
“If you don't know the kind of person I am and I don't know the kind of person you are a pattern… — William Stafford Cruelty Copy Share Image
Ask Me Some time when the river is ice ask me mistakes I have made. Ask me whether what I have done… — William Stafford Ask me Copy Share Image
“All events and experiences are local, somewhere. And all human enhancements of events and experiences -- all the arts -- are regional… — William Stafford Art Copy Share Image
“A Ritual to Read to Each Other If you don’t know the kind of person I am and I don’t know the… — William Stafford Darkness Copy Share Image
Writing itself is one of the great, free human activities. There is scope for individuality, and elation, and discovery. In writing, for… — William Stafford Activity Copy Share Image
“Waking At 3 a.m." Even in the cave of the night when you wake and are free and lonely, neglected by others,… — William Stafford Darkness Copy Share Image
“Poverty plus confidence equals pioneers. We never doubted.” — William Stafford Confidence Copy Share Image
A poem is a serious joke, a truth that has learned jujitsu. — William Stafford Crafts Copy Share Image
