FRANZ WRIGHT
Promise
Long nights, short years. Forgiving
silence
When morning comes, and pain--
no one is a stranger, this whole world is your home.
God’s Silence (2008, Knopf)
FRANZ WRIGHT
Promise
Long nights, short years. Forgiving
silence
When morning comes, and pain--
no one is a stranger, this whole world is your home.God’s Silence (2008, Knopf)
The distillation here is exceptional and much more difficult than it appears. Not one unnecessary word is used, yet meaning is fully, richly conveyed.
I am SO glad you chose this poem. Wright has for years captivated me with his ability to gain maximum impact in an economy of words. Just brilliant.
A writer friend of mine remembers him in a writing class they were both in way back when he wasn't a famous anything. He was difficult and arrogant. However, upon learning about Franz's hard life, he has a ton of sympathy for why he was like that.