Down in My Heart: Peace Witness in War Time

Stafford's poetry is beautiful and concise. His pacifism, appreciation of nature, and interest in eastern mysticism presage many of the major movements of the late fifties through early seventies. Yet Stafford's voice lacks the selfishness which would sometimes blight these later movements. Instead of struggling egoistically against an unjust war, Stafford represents an innocent-minded struggle against war of any kind, but grounded in the work-ethic of depression era America. (Aside: Kim Stafford's introduction to her father's work is every bit as interesting as the main text.)

Oregon's poet laureate William Stafford unassumingly answered the phone, "Bill" and wrote lovingly wrote of mother, father, a moment in his life. Simple, but not simplistic, his poetry draws deep from the well of the everyday. This collection includes the poem Stafford wrote the day he died. How typical of this extraordinary, ordinary man to keep on giving to the end!