What will your verse be?

Dead-Poets-Society-01

We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, “O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?” Answer. That you are here – that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?

~ Robin Williams as John Keating, Dead Poets Society (1989)


Credits: Image – creofire. Quote – imdb.com

28 thoughts on “What will your verse be?

  1. Answer. That you are here – that life exists!
    I wish I could answer how am I feeling. At times, words just spoil the charm and beauty of the moments you experience. I just experienced one of those moments. Thank you!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Sonia, your thought reminded me of this:

      there isn’t enough of anything
      as long as we live.
      But at intervals
      a sweetness appears and,
      given a chance
      prevails.

      ― Raymond Carver, Ultramarine: Poems. Random House, 1986

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