22 Comments
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Carmon Flanigan Conover's avatar

I love both poems, and Berry's generosity and wisdom encourage me greatly. I especially love that he started with a note that this "advice" is to remind himself.

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Esther Roth's avatar

I love "Any readers

who like your poems,

doubt their judgment. "

:)

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j j b r i n s k i's avatar

Matt Wheeler, this poem is some of your best work. The way the idea of the “hard history of love” is both seeing and seriously heavy, with goodness and sorrow.

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Matt Wheeler's avatar

Thank you for your kind words, Josh!

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Fr Bruce Wren's avatar

Superb

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Megan J. Conner's avatar

Beautiful poems!

Just read Wendell Berry’s “Fidelity” with my book club this year! Absolutely loved it!

Berry’s rich language was the unanimous favorite for this work. He is also a fellow Kentuckian (which only causes us to love him just that little bit more).

Also just discovered your publication. Fantastic! Just subscribed.

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Donna Roysdon Hogue's avatar

Love both poems!!!

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Matt Wheeler's avatar

Thank you so much, Donna! It’s an honor to have my poem published alongside Mr. Berry’s, and what a providential joy to get to interact with my favorite living author.

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Love, Light and Butterflies's avatar

I was so surprised to see this post when Mr Berry’s poem has just been introduced to me by my father. I wrote a response to it in my most recent post, “Accept what comes from silence”. An uncanny coincidence!

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Tiffany Link's avatar

My 10 year old daughter just won a superior rating for reciting this poem for her speech meet. Such rich words for writers…and humans.

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Matt Wheeler's avatar

Well-put, and congratulations to her!

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Deborah Rutherford's avatar

So good. Thanks.

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Tanner Olson's avatar

so good.

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Ash's avatar

Wonderful post. I love the generosity exchanged through the words but more importantly, I think of all the posts that haven't been posted because no one asked to request permission. So many lessons and inspiration wrapped in here.

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Caelie Jones's avatar

My favorite bit in Wendell Berry’s poem:

“Any readers

who like your poems,

doubt their judgment.”

It made me laugh, but also resonated with my insecure side.

I also love the line,

“There are no unsacred places;

Only sacred places

And desecrated places.”

Andrew Peterson quoted that in one of his chapters of Adorning the Dark, when he talked about the beauty of meaningful place.

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Bryan Halferty's avatar

Thanks for the example of courage, to write the letter and then to share it.

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Cynthia Ann Storrs's avatar

Love both poems. Found Wheeler's especially beautiful, but also loved Berry's line about sacred places. What a great thought to carry daily with us.

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Victory Palace's avatar

If I may, I’d like to contribute one of my poems on the same topic for your consideration: https://open.substack.com/pub/victorypalace/p/how-to-be-a-great-poet?r=1f37in&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post

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The Rabbit Room's avatar

You are welcome to submit a poem! We do ask that you use the submission process here:

https://rabbitroompoetry.substack.com/p/submissions

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Sheila Dougal's avatar

Oh my goodness what a treasure this is!

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