Galway Kinnell

Galway Kinnell (1927-2014 ) was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He was an award-winning poet best known for poetry that connects the experiences of daily life to much larger poetic, spiritual, and cultural forces. Often focusing on the claims of nature and society on the individual. Galway won many esteemed awards and was so dearly loved by his contemporary poets.

On the mountain tonight the full moon

faces the full sun. Now could be the moment

when we fall apart or we become whole.

Our time seems to be up – I think I even hear it stopping. 

Then why have we kept up the singing for so long? 

Because that’s the sort of determined creature we are. 

Before us, our first task is to astonish,

and then, harder by far, to be astonished.

— Galway Kinnell from ‘Astonishment’