When I read this poem by Gary Snyder, I understood it to be about the times we face now. War, natural disaster, economic crisis, hard times. A seemingly hopeless downward spiral. Then I realized that when he won a Pulitzer Prize for Turtle Island, I was 14 years old. This poem is about then. But it speaks to me now. Whichever —&#8201then or now —&#8201his advice resonates. “Go light”… he says. I had already been thinking this. Surprisingly difficult to actually do, the idea feels right. In the context of my addictions, putting this wisdom to practical purpose, my course seems clear in at least one respect … my next computer should be a laptop. It’s doubtful that this was quite what Gary Snyder had in mind but it’s necesary to dose my ideals with a bit of realism. And everything —&#8201absolutely everything —&#8201is relative.

For the Children

The rising hills, the slopes,
of statistics
lie before us.
the steep climb
of everything, going up,
up, as we all
go down.

In the next century
or the one beyond that,
they say,
are valleys, pastures,
we can meet there in peace
if we make it.

To climb these coming crests
one word to you, to
you and your children:

stay together
learn the flowers
go light

~ Gary Snyder ~

(Turtle Island)