Perhaps because the winter is so long

Posted on by Live & Learn

red-bird

Still, for whatever reason—
perhaps because the winter is so long
and the sky so black-blue,

or perhaps because the heart narrows
as often as it opens—
I am grateful

that red bird comes all winter
firing up the landscape
as nothing else can do.

—Mary Oliver, closing lines to “Red Bird,” from Red Bird

Sources: Photograph – Thank you Carol for photo by Raja Daja. Poem – A Poet Reflects

22 thoughts on “Perhaps because the winter is so long”

  8. Damn, love this. Thanks for sharing. The heart indeed does narrow as often as it opens. I, for one, try to observe birds each day. They are indeed storytellers.
    – Michael

  9. So lovely. Not sure what the current equivalent is here, in the throat-itching smoke of summer bushfires. Maybe the first few drops of rain that make the whole garden smell wonderfully of wet dog!

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