"Poetry can keep life itself alive. You can endure almost anything as long as you can sing about it."
"Suddenly I realize That if I stepped out of my body I would break Into blossom."
Source: James Wright (2011). “The Branch Will Not Break: Poems”, p.57, Wesleyan University Press
About the author
James Wright
Poet
James Wright was an American poet known for his poignant reflections on loss and resilience, particularly in his acclaimed collection 'Above the River'.
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"Practice good personal hygiene. Wash your hands before you eat. Be aware of good clean water and food sources."
"It goes without saying that a fine short poem can have the resonance and depth of an entire novel."
"There is this cave In the air behind my body That nobody is going to touch: A cloister, a silence Closing around a blossom of fire. When I stand upright in the wind, My bones turn to dark emeralds."
"In a pine tree,/ A few yards from my window sill,/ A brilliant blue jay is springing up and down, up and/ down./ On a branch./ I laugh, as I see him abandon himself/ To entire delight, for he knows as well as I do/ That the branch will not break."
"I close my eyes, and think of water."