Luke: A Mary Oliver Poem



I had a dog
who loved flowers.
Briskly she went
through the fields,

yet paused
for the honeysuckle
or the rose,
her dark head

and her wet nose
touching
the face
of every one

with its petals
of silk
with its fragrance
rising

into the air
where the bees,
their bodies
heavy with pollen

hovered -
and easily
she adored
every blossom

not in the serious
careful way
that we choose
this blossom or that blossom

the way we praise or don't praise -
the way we love
or don't love -
but the way

we long to be -
that happy
in the heaven of earth -
that wild, that loving.



poem from "Red Bird" photos from my personal file of my dog and a rose from one of our bushes

Comments

Diane M. Roth said…
beautiful! I love her dog poems.
Katherine E. said…
Always love Mary Oliver, mompriest.

I tagged you for a meme, by the way. (which reminds me that I haven't played yours yet --ooops!)
Unknown said…
Beautiful, all three.
revhipchick said…
absolutely beautiful.

thanks for introducing me to Mary Oliver! i look forward to finding/reading more of her poetry.

blessings
yeah right now i am longing to be ever so free...
Jan said…
I love Mary Oliver's poems. Thanks for this one and the wonderful pictures, too.
Thanks. I didn't know about this poet.
RevDrKate said…
Sweet dog, beautiful poem (as always with MO) and gorgeous rose...thanks for sharing them all with us.
Anonymous said…
Love the dog pic... love the dog poem... love the rose pick. That whole spider that is big enough to bite your face off... kinda scared me.

We just have palmetto bugs here... and humidity... wouldn't that be better than big, nasty spiders??????
Anonymous said…
I've enjoyed the Mary Oliver poems you and Diane have posted, yet have never read one of her books. Some day...

And great pic of the dog :)
Barbara B. said…
wonderful poem, and LOVE the pictures!
thank you for mary oliver today. and for the dog (missing mine). i love her one about the dog who used to sit and watch the sunsets.
zorra said…
She is the most amazing poet. And thanks for your pictures, too.
Unknown said…
Beautiful...this brought me to poignant and happy tears...thank you, Mary Oliver!

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