Today I heard the sad news of the passing of Mary Oliver. Through many years she taught me to look out at nature in new ways, her words a mentor for me while trying to pass her lessons on to students, too, as we traveled to wonderful places together and to teach myself new ways to see. I do have many favorite poems, but marked one passage a couple of years ago to remember, in prose, from her 2016 book, Upstream. It feels apt to share it with all of you this day.
After observations by her pond of a fox feeding on an old frozen raccoon:
"And now my old dog is dead, and another I had after him, and my parents are dead, and that first world, that old house, is sold and lost, and the books I gathered there lost, or sold--but more books bought, and in another place, board by board and stone by stone, like a house, a true life built, and all because I was steadfast about one or two things: loving foxes, and poems, the blank piece of paper, and my own energy--and mostly the shimmering shoulders of the world that shrug carelessly over the fate of any individual that they may, the better, keep the Niles and the Amazons slowing.
And that I did not give to anyone the responsibility for my life. It is mine. I made it. And can do what I want to with it. Live it. Give it back, someday, without bitterness, to the wild and weedy dunes." (p. 21,22)
Thinking of Mary Oliver as I took an evening walk this Thursday, grateful for the gifts she gave to the world from her life .
Beautiful tribute, Linda. The piece you shared is new to me, and so perfect.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tabatha. I think it will be good to re-read some of her books.
DeleteI love these lines.....so many I've learned just since her passing. I'm so sorry she's gone. But, she's not totally because of her words. Lovely tribute and memories. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Linda. I so appreciate every word she sent out into our world, too.
DeleteLinda, within the prose poem, there is a depth of thought that I walked into. It opened my day in such a thoughtful and peaceful way. Thank you for this and your image that is a wonderful accompaniment.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Carol. She taught us with such heart, didn't she?
DeleteBeautiful tribute, Linda!
ReplyDeleteThank you! She is a special poet to the world.
DeleteThank you this. I loved the poem that came from the photo. (Posted in IG)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Jone. I'm glad you liked my other poem, too.
DeleteOh, I did, too.
DeleteSigh. Love your tribute and the passage you shared. I really want to reread all her books again. Some of her prose is so stunning in its simplicity and resonance. I love the way she looked at the world; love how she taught all of us to pay closer attention to so many things. As time goes on, I appreciate the spirituality of her poems more and more.
ReplyDeleteYes, and yes! Thanks, Jama! I imagine all of us reading and re-reading her beloved books.
DeleteI'm holding your hand across the miles and feeling the Mary Oliver love.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Margaret, squeezing yours back!
DeleteA perfect post for a tribute to amazing human. I especially love the line "I did not give to anyone the responsibility for my life". Something we should all do - keep control of, and take responsibility for, our own lives.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Sally. Mary Oliver wrote so many things that feel right to me. Thank you.
DeleteBeautiful piece to share. This one is new to me, but just like with so many of her poems, it resonates with me. I am grateful for her wisdom and willingness to share it.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful! I don't have her book of prose poems, but I definitely need it. Your image is stunning as well!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kay & Kiesha. I'm happy to share some new words to you from Mary Oliver. We all are grateful she has given us so much to love, aren't we?
ReplyDeleteOh, this line is speaking to me today: "And that I did not give to anyone the responsibility for my life." Thank you for sharing this passage, Linda.
ReplyDeleteTo me as well, Laura, wishing everyone would understand its importance. Thanks!
DeleteI stood reading Mary Oliver's book"Upstream" in a bookstore when it came out, couldn't put it down but didn't walk out with it–I just read some more passages from a review of it–I love the passage about going upstream and being lost but not being lost at all–Thanks for sharing this moving passage of hers Linda!
ReplyDeleteEven a glimpse of the words stay with us as you shared, Michelle. I do love this book. Thank you for sharing a favorite passage.
DeleteYour post works nicely with Laura S.'s. There's STUFF, and then there's the stuff that really matters...
ReplyDeleteThank you for this!
You're welcome, Mary Lee. Yes, the for 'the stuff that really matters'!
DeleteThank you for this!
ReplyDelete