Oregon ©Author Adventures

William Stafford

“It could happen any time, tornado, earthquake, Armageddon. It could happen. Or sunshine, love, salvation. It could, you know. That’s why we wake and look out — no guarantees in this life. But some bonuses, like morning, like right now, like noon, like evening.” Yes, by William Stafford, from The Way It Is.

William Stafford (1914-1993) was a pacifist during WWII. He also was a poet who only became published later in his life. For many years, he taught at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. He became Poet Laureate of the United States in l970 and Poet Laureate of Oregon in l975. A “laureate” is a person who has received great honor for their scholarship.

Read more about the poet here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/william-e-stafford. Examples of his poetry can be found here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/william-e-stafford.

Lewis & Clark College

The William Stafford Archives are housed at the Aubrey R. Watzek Library at Lewis & Clark College. The library, located at 615 S. Palatine Hill Road, exhibits the writing process Stafford used as he composed his poetry.

Honoring the 100 years since his birth, Lewis & Clark College joined with Oregon libraries celebrating William Stafford’s Centennial with readings, lectures, and exhibits all over the state of Oregon during 2014.

William Stafford
Multnomah Falls near Portland, Oregon ©Author Adventures

The Aubrey R. Watzek Library is the first stop on our Oregon Author Adventures Trail.

Rebecca Blake Beech