Readers of Reckonings will know that I have great regard for the poetry of Jane Kenyon (and her
love of peonies). Fewer are familiar with Kenyon's prose, much of which is gathered in Kenyon's book, A Hundred White Daffodils: Essays, Interviews, The Akhmatova Translations, Newspaper Columns, and One Poem.
Maria Popova, in last week's edition of her absorbing weekly blog, Brain Pickings, draws from thst book to offer two of Kenyon's interactive and wise pieces of advice about writing ― like most good advice, they echo in other realms of life:
Tell the whole truth. Don't be lazy, don't be afraid. Close the critic out when you are drafting something new. Take chances in the interest of clarity of emotion...
Be a good steward of your gifts. Protect your time. Feed your inner life. Avoid too much noise. Read good books, have good sentences in your ears. Be by yourself as often as you can. Walk. Take the phone off the hook. Work regular hours.