Good day, readers. Today is May 31st, the 152nd day of the year 2024, with 214 days remaining.
Begin, be bold, and venture to be wise.
Horace
Today in Literary History:
On this day in 1819, Walt Whitman, one of America’s most influential poets, was born. Whitman’s Leaves of Grass is a seminal work in the canon of American literature, celebrated for its free verse style and its celebration of democracy, nature, love, and friendship.
Notable Birthdays:
Norman Vincent Peale, born on May 31, 1898, was an American minister and author known for his work in popularizing the concept of positive thinking, especially through his best-selling book The Power of Positive Thinking. Peale’s ideas have permeated American culture and encouraged countless individuals to adopt an optimistic outlook on life.
Today’s Readings:
From Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman: “I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.”
Literary Fact of the Day:
On May 31st, 2005, the Deep Impact space probe was launched by NASA with the mission of studying the composition of the comet Tempel 1. This event has sparked interest in both scientific and literary communities, inspiring discussions and works about the implications of space exploration and human curiosity.
Poem of the Day:
“The Thought-Fox” by Ted Hughes:
I imagine this midnight moment’s forest:
Something else is alive
Beside the clock’s loneliness
And this blank page where my fingers move.
Through the window I see no star:
Something more near
Though deeper within darkness
Is entering the loneliness:
Cold, delicately as the dark snow,
A fox’s nose touches twig, leaf;
Two eyes serve a movement, that now
And again now, and now, and now
Sets neat prints into the snow
Between trees, and warily a lame
Shadow lags by stump and in hollow
Of a body that is bold to come
Across clearings, an eye,
A widening deepening greenness,
Brilliantly, concentratedly,
Coming about its own business
Till, with sudden sharp hot stink of fox
It enters the dark hole of the head.
The window is starless still; the clock ticks,
The page is printed.
This poem captures the elusive nature of creativity as Hughes describes the mysterious and almost tangible process of a thought coming to life, much like a fox moving through a dark forest.
Advice for Writers:
Inspired by Horace’s encouragement to begin boldly, take this as a prompt to start a new project or idea that you’ve been contemplating. Let wisdom and courage guide your writing, pushing you to explore new territories in your creative endeavors.
Have a bold and wise day, dear readers. Until tomorrow, may your literary explorations be courageous and your insights deep.