how good it feels, the heat of the sun between the shoulder blades

~ Live & Learn

I began to talk.
I talked about summer, and about time.
The pleasures of eating…
About this cup we call a life.
About happiness.
And how good it feels,
the heat of the sun between the shoulder blades.

– Mary Oliver, from “Toad” in New And Selected Poems, Volume Two

Notes: Photo – Elena Stepanova (via Seemoreandmore). Poem – via Everything Matters

20 thoughts on “how good it feels, the heat of the sun between the shoulder blades”

  2. I fell asleep on our porch yesterday – the breeze was gentle, the birds were full throated and the sun bright – it was the best nap ever, for I was so aware of this perfection as I dozed off.

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  9. Mary Oliver’s words “About this cup we call a life” remind me of the words from a Bible verse, “My Cup Runnith Over”…”About this cup we call a life” I know someone who has a “Joy” cup…their mother made it for them in ceramics class, she prominently, painted “Joy” on it, glazed over it and then into the kiln…I’ll share something else about that cup another time in an email…I know you will smile…/// I like it when the sun warms the strawberries and blackberries when I am out grazing in the garden/// years ago up the road before houses were built on the open hillside, we’d sit among the wild daises, queen Anne’s lace and the wild strawberries…helping ourselves to the little sweet, red jewels while waiting for the sun to set along the sight line of the Butte… oh, those warm summer nights 🙂

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  10. and I think at least once during the summer one must listen to this:

    Friends of Distinction version of Grazin’ In the Grass…
    It sure is mellow grazin’ in the grass (Grazin’ in the grass is a gas, baby, can you dig it) What a trip just watchin’ as the world goes past (Grazin’ in the grass is a gas, baby, can you dig it) There are so many good things to see While grazin’ in the grass (Grazin’ in the grass is a gas, baby, can you dig it) Flowers with colours for takin’ Everything outta sight in the grass (Grazin’ in the grass is a gas, baby, can you dig it) The sun beaming down between the leaves (Grazin’ in the grass is a gas, baby, can you dig it) And the bir-ir-ir-irds dartin’ in and out of the trees (Grazin’ in the grass is a gas, baby, can you dig it) Everything here is so clear, you can see it And everything here is so real, you can feel it And it’s real, so real, so real, so real, so real, so real Can you dig it Whooo-oooh I can dig it, he can dig it She can dig it, we can dig it They can dig it, you can dig it Oh, let’s dig it Can you dig it, baby I can dig it, he can dig it She can dig it, we can dig it They can dig it, you can dig it Oh, let’s dig it Can you dig it, baby The sun beaming down between the leaves (Grazin’ in the grass is a gas, baby, can you dig it) And the bir-ir-ir-irds dartin’ in and out of the trees (Grazin’ in the grass is a gas, baby, can you dig it) Everything here is so clear, you can see it And everything here is so real, you can feel it And it’s real, so real, so real, so real, so real, so real Can you dig it Whooo-oooh, yeah I can dig it, he can dig it She can dig it, we can dig it They can dig it, you can dig it Oh, let’s dig it Can you dig it, baby I can dig it, he can dig it She can dig it, we can dig it They can dig it, you can dig it Oh, let’s dig it Can you dig it, baby I can dig it, he can dig it She can dig it, we can dig it They can dig it, you can dig it Oh, let’s dig it Can you dig it, baby I can dig it, he can dig it (Grazin’ in the grass is a gas, baby, can you dig it) She can dig it, we can dig it They can dig it, you can dig it (Grazin’ in the grass is a gas, baby, can you dig it) Oh, let’s dig it….

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  11. Yesterday, we could breath, the Sun was no longer obscured, white puff clouds studded the pale blue sky, as I migrated from the warm blackberries to the strawberries and then onto the grapes in various degrees of ripeness…life in bliss…and grateful…

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