# 1506: You Reading This, Be Ready by William Stafford

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-slowdown-poetry-reflection-daily-7043130/1506-you-reading-this-be-ready-by-william-stafford.md
Podcast: [The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-slowdown-poetry-reflection-daily-7043130)
Published: 2026-05-01T08:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/1506-you-reading-this-be-ready-by-william-stafford--71808941
Audio file: https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/71808941/theslowdown_20260501_20260501_128.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-slowdown-poetry-reflection-daily-7043130/episodes/1506-you-reading-this-be-ready-by-william-stafford
Duration seconds: 501

## Resource

Today’s poem is You Reading This, Be Ready by William Stafford. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “We spend so much money in this country on things we think will make us happier and more fulfilled, but presence isn’t a thing at all — it’s an action inside us. Being present costs us nothing. It requires no special equipment. No special location. We can all do better at noticing, and at keeping ourselves open to what we’re experiencing right now.” This show is supported by gifts from listeners. Support The Slowdown with a donation and get access to the sponsor-free version of The Slowdown today. Slowdownshow.org/donate

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## Transcript

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