The answer to Mary Oliver's question is, "Go to work." Which is a good thing, perhaps as good as wandering through the fields all day. I do believe I am working directly with the terrain when I do massage.
But going to work means I don't have time for this, or to look at other blogs, not yet. Not till tonight. Hence I'm borrowing Mary Oliver's words to fill the space between the photos. Thanks, Mary!!
THE SUMMER DAY
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
--Mary Oliver
What always grabs me about Mary Oliver's poetry is her power of observation -- like her description of the grasshopper most of us would just flick away. You share that same power in your photography. It is a gift you both should cherish.
ReplyDeleteSigh. I think I need to lie in the grass now. Except it's raining in my neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteIdle and blessed. Such a difficult combination for a recovering Republican....EFH
ReplyDeleteIt's what I need to do as well. Advice from a gallery owner to artists who want to build a body of work...devote 2 hours a day without fail. so that is what I am going to do...two hours a day to the pate de verre so I must get the etched glass work done beforehand.
ReplyDeleteoh yeah....i hear both you and mary!!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my very favorite poems in the whole wide world. Funny thing, I posted a Mary Oliver poem last night. Must be something in the wind!
ReplyDeleteKerry that's cool. I will go visit your blog to see which one you chose. She is a genius.
ReplyDeleteExpat - it's an excellent thing to practice for any of us, recovering from everything!
Thanks Barbara.
With your one wild and precious life ... you are making some of my favorite photo's.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this.
I am so happy to have found Mary Oliver through my blogging buddies. She looks at things --- down to the grains of sand---and describes them with a sweetness that makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteMary Oliver writes transcendent poetry, blessings offered to all her readers. Thanks for sharing one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteYou can fill space with Mary any ol' time. She always brings me right into the now.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the work though, sometimes it's hard to fit it all in.
Blessed be.
Hi Reya, Thanks for visiting E&R; I loved the article you referred me to. Imagine little finches asleep, dreaming of songs. Dreams that are melodies. wow.
ReplyDeleteAh, go work and then go walk in the fields.
ReplyDeleteMary Oliver is one of my favorite poets - she can capture the entire world of wonder in just a few well placed words.
Being still. Being open. Being observant. Being grateful.
ReplyDeleteAny one of these states is worthy to pursue. When they occur at the same time...it's prayer.
Thank you for posting this beautiful poem, Reya.