"I am striving for the kingdom of heaven, which is within. For me, the only way to find God is to see Him in His creation and be one with it. This can only be done by service of all." Mahatma Gandhi in a 1926 letter reproduced in the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Volume 46, page 101.

Robert A Heinlein from Stranger in a Strange Land: "Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."

This episode of Quoetry explores the connection between Leo Tolstoy’s assertion—“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time”—and Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem Patience Taught by Nature. The discussion delves into how both writers portray patience as an active force, not mere resignation, but a means of endurance and strength.

Tolstoy’s War and Peace provides a historical embodiment of this philosophy in the character of General Kutuzov, whose leadership is defined by his trust in time’s inevitable course. His willingness to let events unfold, notably in his decision to allow Napoleon’s occupation of Moscow rather than rushing into battle, mirrors the rhythms of nature that Browning describes. The episode highlights how Prince Andrei recognizes Kutuzov’s strength in restraint, quoting him: “There is something stronger and more important than his own will—the inevitable course of events.”

Browning’s poem reinforces this theme by showing how nature demonstrates patience—birds continue to sing despite hardship, the ocean moves in unending tides, and stars persistently shine. Both works suggest that patience is a form of wisdom, aligning with Kutuzov’s maxims: “Tout vient à point à celui qui sait attendre” (Everything comes in time to him who knows how to wait) and “Dans le doute, mon cher... abstiens-toi” (When in doubt, my dear... abstain).

The episode concludes with a reflection on the relevance of these ideas today, particularly in a world that often prioritizes instant results. Whether in history, nature, or personal endurance, the patient and the time-conscious often emerge as the strongest warriors.

Detroit, Michigan links both our quotation and poem today.

The quotation is from Henry Ford: "Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right."

The poem is by Edgar A Guest, and entitled "Keep Going" it shares sentiment even more than geography with Ford's quotation.

Today's quotation is from James P Carse: "Society is where we prove to parents qua audience that we are not what we thought they thought we were."

Today's poem is Charles Lamb's "Parental Recollections".

Today's quotation is from Muriel Rukeyser: "The universe is made of stories, not of atoms." Muriel is pictured in the podcast thumbnail with credit to Imogen Cunningham (1945).

Today's poem is "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams.

Today's quotation is from Samuel Johnson: "It was the peculiar artifice of Habit not to suffer her power to be felt at first. Those whom she led, she had the address of appearing only to attend, but was continually doubling her chains upon her companions; which were so slender in themselves, and so silently fastened, that while the attention was engaged by other objects, they were not easily perceived. Each link grew tighter as it had been longer worn, and when, by continued additions they became so heavy as to be felt, they were very frequently too strong to be broken."

Today's poem is by Antonio Machado. My translation departs from that which is available elsewhere, so I'll leave the original here for those better equipped to judge.

Caminante, son tus huellas

el camino y nada más;

Caminante, no hay camino,

se hace camino al andar.

Al andar se hace el camino,

y al volver la vista atrás

se ve la senda que nunca

se ha de volver a pisar.

Caminante no hay camino

sino estelas en la mar.

Today's quotation is from former Conservative Prime Minister, John Major: "When the curtain falls, it is time to get off the stage."

Today's poem is "How the Leaves Came Down" by Susan Coolidge.

Today's quotation is from William Goldman: "Nobody knows anything".

Today's poem is "A Drinking Song" by W B Yeats.

Today's quotation is from "Candide" by Voltaire: "We must cultivate our garden."

Today's poem is "When Shall I Tread Your Garden Path?" by Dorothy Wordsworth.