One of my favorite poems. I used the first line as my personal tagline at Jeff Pulver’s Social Media Breakfast. It’s been a favorite for me for well over a decade. The words and feelings always seem to resonate with me in different ways throughout my life. (Found a copy of this poem here.) Enjoy.
Lucille Clifton
I Am Running into a New Year
i am running into a new year
and the old years blow back
like a wind
that i catch in my hair
like strong fingers like
all my old promises and
it will be hard to let go
of what i said to myself
about myself
when i was sixteen and
twenty-six and thirty-six
even thirty-six but
i am running into a new year
and i beg what i love and
i leave to forgive me
from Good Woman: Poems and a Memoir 1969-1980
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Wonderful poem and message. I’ve always loved Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s “Lose this day loitering”
“Lose this day loitering; t’will be the same old story tomorrow,
and the next day more dilatory …
Each indecision brings its own delays and days are lost lamenting o’er lost days …
Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute!
What you can do or dream you can, begin it!
Courage has genius, power and magic in it!
Only engage, and then the mind grows heated;
Begin it, and the work will be completed!”
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832)
I used it in my new year’s resolution utter along with video clip from the “Dead Poet’s Society” which always inspires me to no end! Carpe Diem, folks!
http://www.utterz.com/~u-NTAwMzI1Nw/utt.php#uttNTAwMzI1Nw
Pai