Sunday, August 28, 2011

My Own Personal Poetry Sunday


I have spent a quiet couple of hours rereading a lot of Mary Oliver's wonderfully insightful and observant poetry.  She fills me up with true things.  In case you might be in the mood for something inspiring, I will share only this one poem with you tonight, Dear Reader,  and wish you a happy and fulfilling week to come.


The Journey by Mary Oliver
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice—
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do—
determined to save
the only life you could save.

3 comments:

diane b said...

I think there is an important message here. I like the poem shape.

Michele said...

smiles and hugs dear friend

Carol said...

One of my absolute favorites. That is an awesome photo too!