Gary Snyder (b. May 8, 1930)

Poetry on Gratitude Gary Snyder: "Prayer for the Great Family" from Turtle Island (1974) Edited by Peter Y. Chou WisdomPortal.com

Prayer for the Great Family Gratitude to Mother Earth, sailing through night and day—         and to her soil: rich, rare and sweet                             in our minds so be it. Gratitude to Plants, the sun-facing, light-changing leaf         and fine root-hairs; standing still through wind         and rain; their dance is in the flowering spiral grain                             in our minds so be it. Gratitude to Air, bearing the soaring Swift and silent         Owl at dawn. Breath of our song         clear spirit breeze                             in our minds so be it. Gratitude to Wild Beings, our brothers, teaching secrets,         freedoms, and ways; who share with us their milk;         self-complete, brave and aware                             in our minds so be it. Gratitude to Water: clouds, lakes, rivers, glaciers;         holding or releasing; streaming through all         our bodies salty seas                             in our minds so be it. Gratitude to the Sun: blinding pulsing light through         trunks of trees, through mists, warming caves where         bears and snakes sleep— he who wakes us—                             in our minds so be it. Gratitude to the Great Sky         who holds billions of stars— and goes yet beyond that—         beyond all powers, and thoughts         and yet is within us—         Grandfather Space.         The Mind is his Wife.                             so be it.                                                         after a Mohawk prayer Gary Snyder, Turtle Island New Directions, New York, 1974, pp. 24-25 *********************************************** Web Links: UC Davis: Gary Snyder Brief Biography Academy of American Poets: Gary Snyder Modern American Poetry: Gary Snyder The Beat Page: Gary Snyder Wikipedia: Gary Snyder May 8: Gary Snyder Birthday Keith Parkins: Gary Snyder Quotes Interview with Gary Snyder Gary Snyder Quote on Peace Poems at Gary Snyder Workshop Mu Ch'i's Six Persimmons & Gary Snyder's "The Persimmons" Analysis: Gary Snyder's Mountains and Rivers Without End

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