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The Unitarian Church in Westport

10 Lyons Plains Rd., Westport, CT 06880 - Ph: (203)227-7205 Sunday Services: 10:00 AM - ZOOM (check SOUNDINGS)

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A Ritual to Read to Each Other by William E. Stafford

AvatarNovember 10, 2016 by Charles

If you don’t know the kind of person I am
and I don’t know the kind of person you are
a pattern that others made may prevail in the
       world
and following the wrong god home we may miss
       our star.

For there is many a small betrayal in the mind,
a shrug that lets the fragile sequence break
sending with shouts the horrible errors of
       childhood
storming out to play through the broken dike.

And as elephants parade holding each
       elephant’s tail,
but if one wanders the circus won’t find the
       park,
I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty
to know what occurs but not recognize the fact.

And so I appeal to a voice, to something
       shadowy,
a remote important region in all who talk:
though we could fool each other, we should
       consider—
lest the parade of our mutual life get lost in the
dark.

For it is important that awake people be awake,
or a breaking line may discourage them back to
       sleep;
the signals we give — yes or no, or maybe —
should be clear: the darkness around us is deep.

Filed Under: Readings Tagged With: William E. Stafford

  • Minister’s Messages
  • Sermons – Audio
  • Sermons – Video
  • Rev. John T. Morehouse’s sermons
  • From Your Senior Minister: Facing Grace
  • Facing Grace – Rev. John’s blog
  • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – sermons
  • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – Dear Friends
  • Intern Minister’s sermons
  • Guest Minister’s sermons
  • Readings & Poetry
  • CURRENTS – our quarterly newsletter

     The Unitarian Church in Westport
     is a member congregation of the
     Unitarian Universalist Association

      CLICK HERE if you have any questions      about The Unitarian Church in Westport

Church Hours: Tuesday - Friday
9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Summer Hours:
July & August until after Labor Day:
Tuesday - Friday 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

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