Mindful

Every day
I see or I hear
something
that more or less

kills me
with delight,
that leaves me
like a needle

in the haystack
of light.
It is what I was born for -
to look, to listen,

to lose myself
inside this soft world -
to instruct myself
over and over

in joy,
and acclamation.
Nor am I talking
about the exceptional,

the fearful, the dreadful,
the very extravagant -
but of the ordinary,
the common, the very drab,

the daily presentations.
Oh, good scholar,
I say to myself,
how can you help

but grow wise
with such teachings
as these -
the untrimmable light

of the world,
the oceans's shrine,
the prayers that are made
out of grass?

By Mary Oliver from, "Why I Wake Early" Beacon Press, 2004

Comments

Gannet Girl said…
LOL at first I thought this was one of yours, and I was going to say that you sound very Mary Oliver-ish today!
Sherry said…
Oh just lovely Mompriest. I like to think that I find some joy every day in the most ordinary things. Today it was in two turtles in the lane....and our female dog scaring up a pheasant. I just love seeing a dog laugh!
Jan said…
Thank you for posting this. I needed to read that tonight.

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