Monday, August 1, 2016

I Worried (Mary Oliver)


   I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers 
flow in the right direction, will the earth turn 
as it was taught, and if not how shall 
I correct it? 
Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven, 
can I do better? 
Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows 
can do it and I am, well, 
hopeless. 
Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it, 
am I going to get rheumatism, 
lockjaw, dementia? 
Finally I saw that worrying had come to nothing. 
And gave it up.  And took my old body 
and went out into the morning, 
and sang. 
                                       --Mary Oliver, I Worried
Photo courtesy of OLMC parishioner Tim Shore

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