Written by: William Stafford Presented by: Sarah Ganger Ask Me Written by: William Stafford Presented by: Sarah Ganger

Ask Me Some time when the river is ice ask me mistakes I have made. Ask me whether what I have done is my life. Others have come in their slow way into my thought, and some have tried to help or to hurt: ask me what difference their strongest love or hate has made. I will listen to what you say. You and I can turn and look at the silent river and wait. We know the current is there, hidden; and there are comings and goings from miles away that hold the stillness exactly before us. What the river says, that is what I say.

Initial Reaction Whoa… that’s deep… beautiful. P.S. …… What is the river saying?!? Some time when the river is ice ask me mistakes I have made. Ask me whether what I have done is my life. Others have come in their slow way into my thought, and some have tried to help or to hurt: ask me what difference their strongest love or hate has made. I will listen to what you say. You and I can turn and look at the silent river and wait. We know the current is there, hidden; and there are comings and goings from miles away that hold the stillness exactly before us. What the river says, that is what I say.

Metaphors, symbolism, alliteration, similes, and irony. I saw no metaphor, alliteration, similes, or irony. However… “What the river says, that is what I say.” The river is a symbol for the lesson being taught. The poem poses a question, then describes the river. The last line tells us that the river symbolizes the answer. (But, again… what does the river say?!) Some time when the river is ice ask me mistakes I have made. Ask me whether what I have done is my life. Others have come in their slow way into my thought, and some have tried to help or to hurt: ask me what difference their strongest love or hate has made. I will listen to what you say. You and I can turn and look at the silent river and wait. We know the current is there, hidden; and there are comings and goings from miles away that hold the stillness exactly before us. What the river says, that is what I say.

Tone and Speaker The speaker is contemplative and at peace. Challenging, yet yielding almost. “Some time when the river is ice ask me / mistakes I have made.” “I will listen to what you say. You and I can turn and look at the silent river and wait.” Who is speaking? Good question. I imagine the speaker to be like a mentor teaching a lesson. Perhaps simply a wise person, who has lived their life and is reflecting and explaining their revelation. Some time when the river is ice ask me mistakes I have made. Ask me whether what I have done is my life. Others have come in their slow way into my thought, and some have tried to help or to hurt: ask me what difference their strongest love or hate has made. I will listen to what you say. You and I can turn and look at the silent river and wait. We know the current is there, hidden; and there are comings and goings from miles away that hold the stillness exactly before us. What the river says, that is what I say.

Style The poem is written in first-person and in future tense. Stafford entices and engages the readers challenging them with “ask me” multiple times. He also holds the readers attention by using “us” “we” “You” etc. “You and I can turn and look […]” ”We know the current is there[…]” ”[…]that hold the stillness exactly before us.” Some time when the river is ice ask me mistakes I have made. Ask me whether what I have done is my life. Others have come in their slow way into my thought, and some have tried to help or to hurt: ask me what difference their strongest love or hate has made. I will listen to what you say. You and I can turn and look at the silent river and wait. We know the current is there, hidden; and there are comings and goings from miles away that hold the stillness exactly before us. What the river says, that is what I say.