Food Hero Tuesday: Wendell Berry's "What We Need is Here"

Note from the Editor: Every Tuesday, TFT HK will bring you a post or article from/about one of our local or global food heroes. These are people who inspire us, and whose visions align with the values that TFT espouses and promotes. This week's post is one of my favorite poems by celebrated American farmer and man of letters, Wendell Berry. Berry is an academic; an economic and cultural critic; and the author of numerous volumes of poetry, collections of short stories, and novels that advocate for the development, nourishment, and sustenance of small family farms, collaborative communities, and local economies. Please also see his lovely and important essay, "The Pleasures of Eating", reprinted on the Center for Ecoliteracy website. Wendell, we at TFT HK salute you!

What We Need Is Here 

Geese appear high over us,

pass, and the sky closes. Abandon,

as in love or sleep, holds

them to their way, clear

in the ancient faith: what we need

is here. And we pray, not

for new earth or heaven, but to be

quiet in heart, and in eye,

clear. What we need is here.  

Wendell Berry