Stanley Kunitz
— Posted by Annie (May 23, 2006 at 8:37 am)
I didn’t know much about Stanley Kunitz until this morning. I came across a notice of his death (May 14, 2006) on Modestly Yours. I really liked this comment of his so I thought I would post it here for others to read. The pro-life message really comes through:
When you look back on a lifetime and think of what has been given to the world by your presence, your fugitive presence, inevitably you have to think of your art, whatever it may be, as the gift you have made to the world in acknowledgement of the gift you have been given, which is the life itself. And I think the world tends to forget that this is the ultimate significance of the body of work each artist produces. It is not an expression of the desire for praise or recognition, or prizes, but the deepest manifestation of your gratitude for the gift of life.
—Stanley Kunitz (1905-2006) from The Wild Braid, (W.W. Norton, 2005)
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Julie says:
Dear Annie,
Your quote from Stanley Kunitz had such a subtle beauty, both in your recognition of it and in his saying it. Thanks for shining a light on something that is in all of us, and that we should more often recognize in others.
And thanks to Stanley for shining his light and so wonderfully exprssing in words something so delicate and yet so enduring, the gift of each and every person’s life and the artistry with which God creates and endows each soul.
Comment posted May 25th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
Annie says:
Thanks, Julie. I’m glad you enjoyed the quote as much as I did.
Comment posted May 27th, 2006 at 8:32 am
Lucy says:
I am seeking for someone to define life. Not to explain when they believe life begins, but to define what they understand it to be. For people that define themselves as Pro-life this should be a simple task. After all, what are you Pro.
What is life.
Comment posted June 3rd, 2006 at 4:57 pm
Aine says:
My momma always said, “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
Comment posted June 5th, 2006 at 10:21 pm