Silent Poetry Reading . . . 2013

Over the Hill She Came

Over the hill
   she came,
      her long legs
         very scarcely

touching the ground,
   the cups of her ears
      listening
         with obvious pleasure,

to the wind
   as it stroked
      the dark arms
         of the pines;

once or twice
   she lingered
      and browsed
         some moist patch

of half-wrapped leaves,
   then came along
      to where I was --
         or nearly --

and then, among the thousand bodies
   of the trees,
      their splashes of light and their shadows,
         she was gone;

and I, who was heavy that day
   with thoughts as small as my whole life
      would ever be,
         and especially

compared to the thousand shining trees,
   gave thanks to whatever sent her
      in my direction
         that I might see, and strive to be,

as clearly she was,
   beyond sorrow,
      careless, soft-lipped angel
         walking on air.

--- Mary Oliver
      New and Selected Poems, Volume Two

Comments

[margene]

After seeing the layout and reading the first line I knew it was Mary, our favorite poet. She writes my feelings.

[Debbie]

Thanks for sharing the lovely Mary Oliver poem. Her poetry speaks what's in my heart.

[Pam]

I LOVE Mary Oliver - thank you for sharing this poem.

[Lynn]

Beautiful words and photo.