Everything I have ever learned in my life leads back to this:
the fires and the black river of loss
whose other side is salvation
whose meaning none of us will ever know.
to live in the world
You must be able to do three things:
to love what is mortal
to hold it
against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it
and, when the time comes,
to let it go
to let it go
my hands let go
let go
let go
From Mary Oliver: Blackwater Woods
Thanks to Brenna
Mary oliver is such a wonderful poet... that is beautiful!
Posted by: ray | Monday, 22 August 2005 at 01:35 PM
Ah, another Mary Oliver reader (and fan?). Thanks for sharing that one.
Do you write poetry?
Posted by: Robert | Tuesday, 23 August 2005 at 10:51 PM
what a beautiful poem...
Posted by: Lisa | Thursday, 25 August 2005 at 11:25 AM
Mary Oliver continues to amaze me. Thank you for posting this, Sujatin!
Darrell (another Mary Oliver fan)
Posted by: Darrell Grizzle | Monday, 29 August 2005 at 03:34 PM
I'm looking forward to reading more of her work. Any books you particularly recommend?
Posted by: Sujatin | Tuesday, 06 September 2005 at 10:51 AM
No, Robert, I haven't written any poetry for a number of years - and reading something as inspired as this puts me off trying :-(
Posted by: Sujatin | Tuesday, 06 September 2005 at 10:56 AM