Tuesday, January 15, 2008

poetry kick

I have been reading poetry lately, and am currently reading a collection by Mary Oliver called New and Selected Poems. I read this one last night and found it so delightful (isn't that a good word for poetry...lol) that I thought I'd share it.

White Flowers

Last night
in the fields
I lay down in the darkness
to think about death,
but instead I fell asleep,
as if in a vast and sloping room
filled with those white flowers
that open all summer,
sticky and untidy,
in the warm fields.
When I woke
the morning light was just slipping
in front of the stars,
and I was covered
with blossoms.
I don' know
how it happened--
I don't know
if my body went diving down
under the sugary vines
in some sleep-sharpened affinity
with the depths, or whether
that green energy
rose like a wave
and curled over me, claiming me
in its husky arms.
I pushed them away, but I didn't rise.
Never in my life had I felt so plush,
or so slippery,
or so resplendently empty.
Never in my life
had I felt myself so near
that porous line
where my own body was done with
and the roots and the stems and the flowers
began.

2 comments:

cbpaschall said...

We love Mary Oliver around here! Yes, she is delightful. We have her collection "Thirst" and it is amazing.

Beautiful poem.

Denise Levertov is amazing too and love her too.

Ryan said...

For some reason, I could picture you reading this on the hill across from HBR, where once there was a mighty fine Star Party.