Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
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| John Dunbar |
A small reminder not to neglect the "soft animal of your body"...
Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
Love this! I love "You do not have to walk on your knees
ReplyDeleteFor a hundred miles through the desert, repenting."
If only we could control what it loves.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite Mary Oliver poems that does not get faded or worn out for me in all the times I've heard or read it.
ReplyDeleteoh, mary oliver, love this poem. it's so haunting and powerful in a way, but so open and delicate too.
ReplyDeleteOne word: beautiful, saving it on my own server! Xx
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful poem and picture! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely poem. My favorite line "the world offers itself to your imagination." Simply beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeletebeautiful!!
ReplyDelete