begins and ends in silence

Much of a monk's life is spent in silence. Much of poet's life is spent in silence, too—a poet spends a fraction of his time actually writing poems. [Thomas] Merton was both a monk and a poet, and thus well-acquainted with silence. Like meditation, and like prayer, poetry is surrounded by silence. Poetry begins and ends in silence. Silence is also inherent within the poem, like the silences between notes in music.

—Frederick Smock, “Merton and Silence,” The Merton Journal, 2008, volume 15 number 1

consolation of poetry

Poets and intellectuals–who are paid little, and who are usually ignored by the general population–have this consolation, at least: they are the ones the tyrants go after first.

—Frederick Smock, “Poetry & Compassion," Poetry and Compassion—Essays on Art and Craft (Wind Publications, 2006)