Hay for the Horses

I feel like recently, all I've been thinking about is work, work, work. I've had a very busy couple of months and am noticeably finding it more difficult to relax. I hope this will soon come to an end once things start to settle down, but I'm sure that whatever you do, most people go through busy and stressful periods - which are hopefully interspersed with calmer times!

When trying to find something to write about this evening though, my mind of course automatically went to the themes of jobs and careers. Hence today's poem.

Hay for the Horses, by Gary Snyder. Read it here:
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15436

It's a sad poem, in a way, and I think in the next few weeks I'll have a look for some happier ones on the theme of work - but it's good to remember that doing something you enjoy and love is really key to being happy in life generally. It also reminds me of how quickly time flies; I think the position of the narrator of this poem is very relatable. It's common to think that you'll only allow yourself to do something for a short time and without noticing, look back and realise it's gone on for a lot longer than you had expected - whether that be work, a relationship, smoking etc. Sometimes making a change doesn't seem immediately urgent, but I find this poem a useful reminder not to become complacent.

I like how the poem isn't overly sentimental, though. The point isn't laboured but Snyder sets the scene with really descriptive images of what the narrator's job entails, so that the reader is almost taken through a full day in the life of this man. I always find it interesting to think and lean about what other people's jobs consist of day to day, and the short but to-the-point introduction to the uncomfortable life of this narrator (the itch, the mere specks of light, the dangerous mountain roads, the pulling and stacking and whirling in the heat) brings the kind of understanding of another job that lets me put the difficulties of mine into perspective.

In summary, my point for today: try your hardest to do something you love!