Tuesday, April 19, 2016

To instruct myself over and over in joy (Mary Oliver)

                                      Every day 
                                       I see or hear 
                                          something 
                                             that more or less  
   
                                    kills me 
                                       with delight, 
                                          that leaves me 
                                             like a needle  
  
                                    in the haystack 
                                       of light. 
                                          It is what I was born for – 
                                             to look, to listen,  
  
                                    to lose myself 
                                       inside this soft world – 
                                          to instruct myself 
                                             over and over  
  
                                    in joy, 
                                       and acclamation. 
                                          Nor am I talking 
                                             about the exceptional,  

                                    the fearful, the dreadful,
                                       the very extravagant –
                                          but of the ordinary,
                                             the common, the very drab

                                    the daily presentations.
                                       Oh, good scholar,
                                          I say to myself,
                                             how can you help
           
                                    but grow wise
                                       with such teachings
      as these –
         the untrimmable light

of the world
                                       the ocean’s shine
                                          the prayers that are made                                                                                         out of grass?

--Mary Oliver, Mindful

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