Good day, readers. Today is May 23rd, the 144th day of the year 2024, with 222 days remaining.
Only in the darkness can you see the stars.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Today in Literary History:
On this day in 1707, Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist who laid the foundations for the modern biological naming scheme of binomial nomenclature, was born. While best known for his contributions to science, his systematic classifications influence the way writers and poets view and describe the natural world.
Notable Birthdays:
Margaret Wise Brown, born on May 23, 1910, was an American author of children’s books, including classics like Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. Her innovative use of rhythm and rhyme and her understanding of young children’s inner worlds have made her works beloved by generations.
Today’s Readings:
From The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown: “If you run away, I will run after you. For you are my little bunny.”
Literary Fact of the Day:
On May 23rd, 1934, notorious outlaws Bonnie and Clyde were ambushed and killed by police in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. Their dramatic life and crime spree have captivated public imagination and inspired numerous works in literature and film, exploring themes of rebellion, love, and tragedy.
Poem of the Day:
“The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry:
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
This evocative poem explores the soothing power of nature and its ability to bring peace to the human spirit amid the anxieties of life, reflecting a profound connection to the natural world that transcends immediate worries.
Advice for Writers:
Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s quote, consider how challenges and darker times in your narrative can reveal the strength and resilience of your characters. Use these moments to delve deep into their development, showing how they find their “stars” or guiding lights amid adversity.
Have an inspiring and reflective day, dear readers. Until tomorrow, may you find peace in nature and inspiration in the quiet moments of life.