Everything Is Waiting for You

by David Whyte

The title of David Whyte's fifth volume of poetry is an apt description of its contents. Everything, he points out, is indeed waiting for us, including our own demise and the demise of those we love. In less eloquent hands, this wisdom might feel burdensome, but in Whyte's language and imagery, these poems convey the beauty inherent in impermanence. Its second chapter, Thresholds, charts the experience of death of a loved one, and Friends, Marriage, Chances and Returns celebrate and explore the relationships, including the relationship with ourself, that accompany us along the journey, for however short or long we're given.

Genres: Poetry, Fiction

100 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

Poet David Whyte grew up with a strong, imaginative influence from his Irish mother among the hills and valleys of his father’s Yorkshire. He now makes his home in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

The author of seven books of poetry and three books of prose, David Whyte holds a degree in Marine Zoology and has traveled extensively, including living and working as a naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands and leading anthropological and natural history expeditions in the Andes, Amazon and Himalaya. He brings this wealth of experience to his poetry, lectures and workshops.

His life as a poet has created a readership and listenership in three normally mutually exclusive areas: the literate world of readings that most poets inhabit, the psychological and theological worlds of philosophical enquiry and the world of vocation, work and organizational leadership.

An Associate Fellow at Said Business School at the University of Oxford, he is one of the few poets to take his perspectives on creativity into the field of organizational development, where he works with many European, American and international companies. In spring of 2008 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Neumann College, Pennsylvania.

In organizational settings, using poetry and thoughtful commentary, he illustrates how we can foster qualities of courage and engagement; qualities needed if we are to respond to today’s call for increased creativity and adaptability in the workplace. He brings a unique and important contribution to our understanding of the nature of individual and organizational change, particularly through his unique perspectives on Conversational Leadership.

Reviews

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book of poetry. David Whyte has the unique ability to capture the "otherness" and magnitude of the spiritual realm through understated language and contemplative observances of nature and the wilderness. It seemed fitting to read his work while sitting outside in the woods on a beautiful autumn afternoon.

[Dan Gobble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally got around to reading one of Mr. Whyte's books of poetry and found that I had obviously put off doing so for far too long! Thoroughly enjoyed from cover to cover and I already have two more in hand to continue this journey with such a gifted poet.

[Monica Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lightest Touch

Good poetry begins with
the lightest touch,
a breeze arriving from nowhere,
a whispered healing arrival,
a word in your ear,
a settling into things,
then like a hand in the dark
it arrests your whole body,
steeling you for revelation.

In the silence that follows
a great line
you can feel Lazarus
deep inside
even the laziest, most deathly afraid
part of you,
lift up his hands and walk toward the light.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful poems about life and awareness

"Memory convinces me
you are as alive now as you were then,
me on this side, you on the other,
the fire now burning between us
the one that separates my life
from your death."

[Blake Petteway · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been hoping to read this collection ever since being introduced to David Whyte’s work by an audio reading of this collection’s titular poem. I found this book yesterday wandering in a thrift store, after just having told my friend I wait for the books to speak to me, to allure me with a sense of destiny. I knew it was the right time to read this book. Devoured it in a single afternoon. Very beautiful how Whyte never abandons the sense of Paradise’s eminence, or the sense that change is occurring, or life is filling out in us. This collection addresses the act of creation, the death of Whyte’s mother, interpersonal relationships, and returns to the embodied world. The accounts of his mother’s passing were some of my favorite poems on grief I’ve read in recent days (and their relevance to me in this solemn and uncertain week is what I will cherish most from this collection). While I loved many of these poems, Whyte’s style can be too muddy, too wordy, and overdrawn. But when it’s right, it’s very right.

Standouts:
1. Everything Is Waiting for You
2. Thresholds
3. Forgive
4. The Lightest Touch
5. September 2001
6. When the Wind Flows
7. Thicket

[Jared Kassebaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Whyte's poetry feels like a conversation with a good friend. Not too bound to form, Whyte goes through grief in this collection at times poignantly, at times conversationally. Grief for friends, for family, and for life itself changing forms on us. Poetry of this kind is the best antidote for a busy 'modern' life, reminding us that we are living creatures, limited yet inherently beautiful. Read it out loud, remember your own loved ones in their place, and when you finish a poem, go to a loved one, and remark on the beauty within their smile, cherishing them more deeply. This is what it does for me, at least.

[Kara Taghon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whyte is a gift to mankind. What an honor it is to peer into someone’s soul and see aspects of yourself reflected in a parallel experience. Chills.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I slowly worked my way through this little tome, I sensed that I was not plumbing its depths, but only skimming the surface. A busy life precludes some endeavors. But, the thoughts that sprang to mind as I read Whyte's poetry were: gentle, soothing, salubrious. And I know I can return one day and try to soak it all in again. Well done.

[Wendy Feltham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend recommended this poet, who is Irish but lives nearby on Whidbey Island. I can never read a whole book of poems for some reason, but I loved the ones I did read and want to read more.

[Shannon Tierney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this. Amazing work from a modern poet rooted in the classics.

[Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. This collection of poems is one that I will read over and over again throughout the years. I absolutely love the way David delivers his poems.

[Alyson Indrunas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fav line:

my idea of faith
this morning,
you and I by
some bright fire
snug
against the winter
of any past
or future
disappearance.

[Raoul G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetry is kind of difficult to review. Some poetry speaks very powerfully to one person but leaves another person cold. I would say this was the case for me with these poems by David Whyte. Maybe I had too high expectations, or maybe I am somewhat spoiled having read a lot of R.S. Thomas' poetry last year. But the majority of these poems just didn't really do it for me. Even though most poems didn't captivate me, there are two at the end of the book, the 'Sligo Glen' poems ('Walking Into Silence' and 'Walking Out Of Silence'), which are hauntingly beautiful and which I will surely return to again and again. Here an excerpt form the latter:

The frontier
between silence and speech
exactly
the line you must cross
to give yourself
while saving yourself,

the gleam in your heart
and your eye,
another sun rising,
the old memories alive
after a long night of absence
and the world again
suddenly worth
risking,
worth seeing,
worth innocence,
worth everything.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

LOOKING
My mother is a young girl again
standing at the edge of a field
near The Milepost
ready to leave.

Across the field
invisibly, we stand together,
together and each alone,
waiting for her to see us,
her sons, her daughter,
her husband.

We raise our hands
to catch her sight
but she cannot see us,
she is too young for us yet,
she only sees the sky
and the green fields beneath,
the way young eyes do
and she looks at the road,
leading away
towards us
and feels on her skin
the clear breath of sunlight.

She is made for the world
in her own way
she is life about to make life
she is a youth about to blossom
out of a particular tragedy
into her own kind of triumph.

She is herself
but
she is all of our past
and all or our future too
she is looking and waiting
as we wait,
for everything to come true.

[Kim Murden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard David Whyte interviewed on the Krista Tippet podcast On Being. He seemed like a wise person and I loved the gentle touch / deep truth feel of the poems. I especially loved the first section of the book ‘Creations’ and the poem ‘sometimes’ and the title poem. Like all poetry I need to return to this book and spent time with the words but at this point it’s a four star moving towards a five.

[Claudia Skelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 5th volume of poetry from an author who lives in the Pacific Northwest. His poems are beautiful and deal with life and with death, connecting the humans to the natural world. I have read his other books and am glad to have absorbed the words and ideas about our demise and of those we love that are part of this book.

[Pippa Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first poetry I have read by David Whyte. Lyrical and fearless, it was written in response to his mother’s death. Some of the poems are longer than I seem to be able to manage, but there’s no doubt they are written by a poet with a keen eye and depth of understanding, and also a clarity, that is remarkable. It left me wanting to read more of his poetry.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some real gems in this collection.

“Put down the weight of your aloneness and ease into
the conversation. The kettle is singing
even as it pours you a drink, the cooking pots
have left their arrogant aloofness and
seen the good in you at last. All the birds
and creatures of the world are unutterably
themselves. Everything is waiting for you.”

[Sarah Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful! I recommend full- heartedly. The poems that really, truly struck me collect towards the end of the book. I was especially moved by “Sligo Glen: Walking Into Silence” and “Sligo Glen: Walking Out of Silence.”

[Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Poetry is language against which you have no defenses.” - DW

Few times have I clearly seen the link between the quality of my thoughts/emotions and a given author or a series of works, this is one of them. David Whyte´s writing and voice are a gift to this world.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

To feel abandoned is to deny
the intimacy of your surroundings.

[Jeff Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

[Chris Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time reading through an entire volume of Whyte's poetry. Wonderful. Favorites (for now): Mariner, When the Wind Flows, The Bellringer, September 2001.

[Chris LaTray · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've heard so much about this poet and even encountered a piece here and there that I liked well enough. This book has its moments but, ultimately, didn't do it for me, and I'm disappointed in that.

[Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my favorite writers, this small collection of poems were soul soothing. Consolations and Whyte’s prose are still my favorite of his collections but this was quite lovely too.

[Elise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Favorite poems:
Everything is waiting for you
The shell
Letting go
Dance night in Waterford city

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

[Betsy]

Recommended in We Write, added 7/10/24

[Nithasha]

So beautiful, I am in love with these poems

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful.