Snow Geese
Oh, to love what is lovely, and will not last!
What a task
to ask
What a task
to ask
of anything, or anyone,
yet it is ours,
and not by the century or the year, but by the hours.
and not by the century or the year, but by the hours.
One fall day I heard
above me, and above the sting of the wind, a sound
I did not know, and my look shot upward; it was
above me, and above the sting of the wind, a sound
I did not know, and my look shot upward; it was
a flock of snow geese, winging it
faster than the ones we usually see,
and, being the color of snow, catching the sun
faster than the ones we usually see,
and, being the color of snow, catching the sun
so they were, in part at least, golden. I
held my breath
as we do
sometimes
to stop time
when something wonderful
has touched us
as we do
sometimes
to stop time
when something wonderful
has touched us
as with a match,
which is lit, and bright,
but does not hurt
in the common way,
which is lit, and bright,
but does not hurt
in the common way,
but delightfully,
as if delight
were the most serious thing
you ever felt.
as if delight
were the most serious thing
you ever felt.
The geese
flew on,
I have never seen them again.
flew on,
I have never seen them again.
Maybe I will, someday, somewhere.
Maybe I won’t.
It doesn’t matter.
What matters
is that, when I saw them,
I saw them
as through the veil, secretly, joyfully, clearly.
Maybe I won’t.
It doesn’t matter.
What matters
is that, when I saw them,
I saw them
as through the veil, secretly, joyfully, clearly.
~ Mary Oliver ~
Credits: Image – Joel Sartore. Poem: Panhala.net
What a lovely hymn to nature!
It is Lori…
Nice poem, but I don’t think those are snow geese. The birds in this poster have too long a neck and the legs are too far out the back. They look more like a heron type of bird. Something with a long neck and long legs. A snow goose has a fatter, shorter neck and in flight the legs barely extend past the tail feathers. That’s my humble opinion anyway. I may be wrong, but that’s what I think.
Interesting you raise this because I thought the same but didn’t challenge the photographer and his post. See link: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/snow-geese-flying-by-the-sun-joel-sartore.html
Yes, I saw that because I clicked on the photo to get a closer look. Then I googled images of snow geese and they are definitely stubbier looking. I knew it wasn’t your photo and it must have been hard to find a match for the poem. Close enough, I suppose.
MAgnificent reminder to truly glory in that which is around us that we rarely stop to see…
It is Mimi. It is.
Don’t know how you do it, Dave, but you always find mind favorites. Boz Scaggs, the Killers, and now Mary Oliver. What a beautiful reminder to appreciate today. Thank you.
You’re the sister I didn’t have Susan. 🙂 Thank you.
Hah! Lucky me.
Beautiful, David…and I love Mary Oliver. Such a nice post to start the morning with. Thanks. 🙂
It is beautiful. Thanks Carol.
Oh that’s so beautiful. That touches me on so many levels. Thank you, Dave, for making the day a little more special already …
Thanks LaDona. It moved me too…
We have the power to appreciate, for that I am thankful. Beautiful post. Happy Friday!
Thanks Carolann. Have a good weekend.
Mary Oliver…sigh!
yes, she’s so good.
Beautiful. Lovely.