Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • On Being a Writer
      • Media Kit
  • Speaking
    • Book Ann as a Guest on Your Show
  • Podcast
  • Courses
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Work With Me

October 26, 2010 11 Comments

A life all turbulence and noise

A life all turbulence and noise may seem,To him that leads it, wise and to be praised;But wisdom is a pearl with most successSought in still water, and beneath clear skies.

~ William Cowper, The Task (1785). Book III. The Garden

Filed Under: Not So Fast

Comments

  1. Seth says

    October 27, 2010 at 12:25 pm

    This was still water in the middle of a busy day.
    Good words, Ann.

    (if only the person in the picture had a fly-rod)

    Reply
    • annkroeker says

      October 27, 2010 at 5:11 pm

      She was borrowing the equipment you see…but someday, I could see her with one.

      Reply
  2. kim says

    October 27, 2010 at 3:51 pm

    Wow. The strange thing is that I know who William Cowper is. I recently read a biography of John Newton (by Josiah Bull) and I learned that they were very close friends. Cowper was a troubled man, but a prolific and renowned poet. I love this poem for its simplicity and its veracity. Thanks for sharing, Ann.

    Reply
    • annkroeker says

      October 27, 2010 at 5:12 pm

      So would you say he didn’t have much in the way of still waters or clear skies?

      Maybe it reflects his longing for them…and for wisdom?

      Reply
      • kim says

        October 27, 2010 at 6:04 pm

        Newton’s biography portrays Cowper as inclined towards depression and having a temptation towards “self-destruction.” At least this was so, 10-13 years before your poem was written. Fits the stereotype of the melancholy artist/poet doesn’t it?

        Reply
  3. Linda says

    October 27, 2010 at 6:24 pm

    The picture, the words – they minister. I have felt the call to the stillness for a long time now. It really is the very best of places.

    Reply
  4. Laura says

    October 27, 2010 at 8:36 pm

    I love it. And I’m slowing down today.

    Reply
  5. Janis@Open My Ears Lord says

    October 27, 2010 at 11:01 pm

    Well, I’ll try to disregard the melancholy/depression aspect of this writer and just say that I liked the call to quiet the noise in our lives. (Didn’t know the other stuff until I read the comments.)

    Have a peaceful week,
    Janis

    Reply
    • annkroeker says

      October 27, 2010 at 11:12 pm

      Same here–I liked the original message. But can’t the words stand on their own and have meaning without knowing the author’s circumstances?

      Reply
  6. kim says

    October 28, 2010 at 10:29 am

    Gosh, I didn’t mean to take anything away from the words or sentiment or value or meaning of Cowper’s poem or anyone’s enjoyment of it. I apologize. It is a wonderful, wonderful poem. I think knowing that little bit of background on Cowper actually lends more credence to his words. As you said, Ann, it may reflect his longing for still waters and clear skies and wisdom. I admit that maybe it’s not profitable to overlay anything over poetry…I’ll be more careful in future. Blessings.

    Reply
  7. Angela Doll Carlson says

    October 28, 2010 at 10:15 pm

    It goes to show that the words we put to page take on a life of their own, apart from us. It’s a sign of a great writer that we can find ourselves in the work. 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach

Providing you with resources and inspiration to be more curious, creative, and productive.

Ad - SiteGround Web Hosting - Crafted for easy site management. Amazing Speed; Powerful Tools; Top-rated support. Learn more.
Make Your Sentences Sing: 7 Sentence Openers to Add Music to Your Prose (Mini Course from Ann Kroeker.Teachable.com)
TWL-100-best-websites-2016-2-300x300

Archives

Categories

Ann Kroeker is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Not every link leads to compensation, but assume that each does.
© 2006-2022 Ann Kroeker All Rights Reserved

instagram twitter facebook pinterest

Landing page graphic and other design elements by Sophie Kroeker.

Privacy Policy · Copyright © 2023