Comments on: Wendell Berry – Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front

By: bharati

bharati — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 08:23:43 +0000

this is an amazingly inspiring poem revealing one whose inner and outer senses are awake and balanced.

…and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come…

i wonder if we could explore the words i have quoted above. Each day, about 90 mins before daybreak, a spurt of fine energy seems to pour into the planet. It sounds like a million birds chirping just beyond the horizon. A ‘morning chorus’ yet to come… ???

By: christian michaels

christian michaels — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:25:52 +0000

Thomas Jefferson would embrace Berry and correspond enthusiastically over the years with great delight, I’m sure.

The revolution that is required to keep freedom alive must take place within every person daily or the whole becomes bound in the chains of political correctness that kills from within like a cancer.

If you want freedom, change yourself. That’s my take on it. It will never come to those who strive to change others.

Namaste;

By: gurjit

gurjit — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 05:37:23 +0000

gr8 and excellent

By: marrob

marrob — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 23:04:25 +0000

You’re so right rena navon. This one merits a response that just comes gurgling up,
spiralling up through the body & ripples outward through the whole being and beyond….like a spontaneous belly laugh.

And it’s such a sound healthy, rebellious antidote to the grim reaping nightly
news. Makes me feel like doing something that doesn’t compute….like toss the remote across the room…or even further!

Once more, thanks Ivan for planting the sequoias of sacred, ‘kick butt if you have to’
and resurrecting truth.

By: Carol Burns

Carol Burns — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 20:13:47 +0000

Thank you, Ivan. Wendell Berry is almost a neighbor (almost, smile) and I love his
writing. Had never heard this poem yet, and yes it is powerful. I will try to practice
resurrection every day! So good to be reminded of what is important.

By: rena navon

rena navon — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:13:39 +0000

What no responses yet? Who can resist such a passionate, moving piece of mad refusal to remain bound to mediocrity? Wendell Berry sounds like no hero as he goes through the list of empty motions he is willing to renounce in his spontaneous quest for more meaning in life.
An unassuming practitioner of simple activities, he digs right in up to his elbows into what he understands as the choices of the good soul as opposed to the cop-out of making good impressions. This poem that seems to flow like easy water from his busy work sleeve must have much more behind it than he has need to show, for his urge to pass on his message is strong and his message sincere and he wants to get on with it on the spot. Now!
I thank you for such an impressive piece of writing, Ivan. This author is true, as are you.