Bronze sculpture of poet Desiderata poet Max Ehrmann to grace Terre Haute cityscape

According to Mark Bennett,writing for the The Tribune-Star in Terre, Haute, Indiana, a bronze statue of  American prose poet Max Erhmann, wrote the famous "Desiderata" in 1927, will be unveiled on August 26.

Sculptor Bill Wolfe did the work.
Bennett calls it "a breathtaking piece of art, with the metal likeness of the man who wrote “Desiderata” seated on a park bench, pen and paper in hand, on the northwest corner of the Crossroads of America.|

In addition, Bennett wrote, memorable phrases from “Desiderata,” cast in bronze, will be set in the walkway leading up to Max. The full text of that world-famous poem will be visible to visitors who sit down beside him.

A local Cultural Trail Coalition, formed in 2007, has a mission to create public art pieces honoring internationally known Terre Haute natives, such as Ehrmann. The coalition decided to start with Ehrmann, who chose to stay and work in his hometown instead of moving to literary centers such as New York or Chicago. Some people think he lived in Baltimore, but no, he lived his entire life -- 1872 - 1945 -- in Terre Haute, according to Bennett.

The Desiderata with its timeless advice, became popular with young Americans in the joyrful 1960s and 1970s. That 314-word piece of prose poetry, which he finished in 1927, appears in frames and on posters hanging on walls all over the globe. Its fans are legion.
Now, the world has a place to say thanks to Max, Bennett wrote.

And not only that, now the world can also read a new version of the Desiderata for our Digital Age, and it's written in homage to Mr Ehrmann, according to the website behind it.It's called the Digirata.
"Go placidly amid the hot links and the distractions,



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As far as possible without surrender


be on good terms with all persons online and never never flame others or engage


in any kind of cyberbullying or cyberstalking.










Key in your truths quietly and clearly;


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even the dull and the ignorant;


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Avoid angry and aggressive flamers and out of control cyberbullies,


for they are vexations to the spirit of the internet.






If you compare your blog with other blogs that are better and have more visitors,


you may become vain and bitter, so just enjoy your own blog for what it is and don't


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Enjoy your online achievements, as well as your plans for future downtime.






Keep interested in your own blogging, however humble;


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Exercise caution who you give your personal details to;


for the world is full of trickery and Nigerian scams waiting


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Be yourself when you are online,


or, if it so pleases you, adopt a persona.


Use your real name or a pseudonym for your userid,


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especially those pesky phishers.






Take kindly the counsel of your fellow bloggers


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and always take time out to unplug


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You are a child of the Digital Age,


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E-readers to the fore!






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Be cheerful. Use the smilely emoticon as much as possible.


Strive to be a happy camper and unplug often."