Duty of the Writer

I really appreciated this quotation from Iranian-American poet Solmaz Sharif.

She said, the duty of the writer is to remind us that we will die and that we aren’t dead yet.

And I just so appreciated that because that’s part of the human dilemma, isn’t it?

Knowing about mortality and yet grasping what is here in front of us here and now.

Our opportunities, our moments, our chances, and making them for ourselves and appreciating what others have made for us.

Right.

What have they presented before us and how can we make the most of them?

Yeah.

Right.

Other people presenting poetry to us is an opportunity.

Right.

I think, right?

They’ve made something for us that we should savor and appreciate.

I love how she describes it as the duty of the writer, you know, I guess whether you’re writing prose or poetry.

Right. You shouldn’t just dash it off because it’s something that you have to do.

You dash it off because it is your duty to do something well.

And it’s something you will leave behind for others when you’re gone.

Right. Carpe diem.

Oh, Martha, deep thoughts.

Where’s Jack Handy when we need him?

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