Critical Path Through A Poet’s Advice
To be nobody-but-myself – in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.
-e.e. cummings
I first encountered this quote in grade school reading one of Paul Zindel’s Pigman books. (At least I think it was one of those books). It moved me so much that it became one of the first writings I made a point to memorize. I always thought it was just a simple poem – as I was never able to find those words again despite early attempts (before Internet) to search through random e.e. cummings writings.
A few weeks ago, I read the Foreward to Critical Path by R. Buckminster Fuller. In it, he quotes A Poet’s Advice by e.e. cummings in full. Suffice to say – I found them again, but this time in their complete context – and referenced by my current inspiration. And they were friends at that. Old Karla meets new Karla. Or maybe it’s younger meets older? Back in the day meets current? Anyhoo – nice how good things come back ’round again.
