When you require renewal, is there a particular poem or book that you return to?
In our ultracompetitive society, everyone tries to advertise their successes and downplay or even deny their failures. Individuals, companies, whole countries operate like this. The myth of the person who has it all, or does it all, who succeeds in every area of her life clearly causes unhappiness. We should know better than to believe it. Two poems that offer a refreshingly different perspective on the subject are “The Descent” by William Carlos Williams and “Ode to Failure” by Allen Ginsberg. We tend to think in terms of absolutes, but Williams reminds us, “No defeat is made up entirely of defeat – since/ the world it opens is always a place/ formerly/ unsuspected.” And I admire Ginsberg’s boldness in proclaiming, “O Failure I chant your terrifying name, accept me your 54 year old Prophet/ Epicking Eternal Flop!” I’m not in favor of becoming complacent or apathetic, but I do think we need to cultivate more compassion for ourselves and others instead of constantly striving to win.
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