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Throw Yourself Like Seed

Throw Yourself Like Seed
by Miguel de Unamuno

Shake off this sadness, and recover your spirit;
sluggish you will never see the wheel of fate
that brushes your heel as it turns going by,
the man who wants to live is the man in whom life is abundant.

Now you are only giving food to that final pain
which is slowly winding you in the nets of death,
but to live is to work, and the only thing which lasts
is the work; start then, turn to the work.

Throw yourself like seed as you walk, and into your own field,
don’t turn your face for that would be to turn it to death,
and do not let the past weight down your motion.

Leave what’s alive in the furrow, what’s dead in yourself,
for life does not move in the same way as a group of clouds;
from your work you will be able one day to gather yourself.

And although the poem doesn’t need extra commentary, I liked a quote Roger Housden used in reference to this poem, in his book Ten Poems To Set You Free.

The quote is from W. H. Murray, the leader of the Scottish Himalaya Expedition.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back.  Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.  All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.  A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

“Whatever you do, or dream you can do, begin it.  Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.  Begin it now.”

[Post image: Crop in Field by hotblack at stock.xchng]

3 Comments


  1. Lindsey
    Apr 14, 2011

    Oh … I love this. Suffice it to say that this is the PERFECT day for me to read this. Thank you, thank you. xox


  2. f451
    Apr 14, 2011

    “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

    “Whatever you do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”

    LOVE THAT!!!


    • Elissa
      Apr 15, 2011

      Me, too! Begin, begin, begin. I think that’s the hardest part. Oh yeah, and the keeping with it. 🙂

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