Mary Oliver - Stars

Mary Oliver - Stars

Here in my head, language br Keeps making its tiny noises. br br How can I hope to be friends br with the hard white stars br br whose flaring and hissing are not speech br but a pure radiance? br br How can I hope to be friends br with the yawning spaces between them br br where nothing, ever, is spoken? br Tonight, at the edge of the field, br br I stood very still, and looked up, br and tried to be empty of words. br br What joy was it, that almost found me? br What amiable peace? br br Then it was over, the wind br roused up in the oak trees behind me br br and I fell back, easily. br Earth has a hundred thousand pure contraltos-- br br even the distant night bird br as it talks threat, as it talks love br br over the cold, black fields. br Once, deep in the woods, br br I found the white skull of a bear br and it was utterly silent-- br br and once a river otter, in a steel trap, br and it too was utterly silent. br br What can we do br but keep on breathing in and out, br br modest and willing, and in our places? br Listen, listen, I'm forever saying, br br Listen to the river, to the hawk, to the hoof br to the mockingbird, to the jack-in-the-pulpit-- br br then I come up with a few words, like a gift. br Even as now. br br Even as the darkness has remained the pure, deep darkness. br Even as the stars have twirled a little, while I stood here, br br looking up, br one hot sentence after another.


User: PoemHunter.com

Views: 94

Uploaded: 2014-11-07

Duration: 01:55

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