Friday, January 8, 2016

Three Poems from FELICITY by Mary Oliver

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference for Roundup. While you're there, be sure to read Tabatha's "The Old Ship" poem from last week. Love!

I finally got ahold of FELICITY by MaryOliver, and I have three favorite poems from the book to share with you:



That Little Beast
by Mary Oliver
That pretty little beast, a poem,
has a mind of its own.
Sometimes I want it to crave apples
but it wants red meat.
Sometimes I want to walk peacefully
on the shore
and it wants to take off all it's clothes
and dive in.

Sometimes I want to use small words
and make them important
and it starts shouting the dictionary,
the opportunities.

Sometimes I want to sum up and give thanks,
putting things in order
and it starts dancing around the room
on its four furry legs, laughing
and calling me outrageous.


But sometimes, when I'm thinking about you,
and no doubt smiling,
it sits down quietly, one paw under its chin,
and just listens.





Everything That Was Broken
by Mary Oliver
Everything that was broken has
forgotten its brokenness. I live
now in a sky-house, through every
window the sun. Also your presence.
Our touching, our stories. Earthly
and holy both. How can this be, but
it is. Every day has something in
it whose name is forever.





The Giftby Mary Oliver

Be still, my soul, and steadfast.
Earth and heaven both are still watching
though time is draining from the clock
and your walk, that was confident and quick,
has become slow.

So, be slow if you must, but let
the heart still play its true part.
Love still as once you loved, deeply
and without patience. Let God and the world
know you are grateful.That the gift has been given.

19 comments:

  1. I haven't yet gotten my hands on this - Mary Oliver always inspires. "Let God and the world/know you are grateful."
    There's the key, n'est ce pas?
    I'm grateful for you, Irene!

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  2. The Gift is ...kind of making me wordless right now. Lovely.

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  3. Mary Oliver is my idol. Thanks for sharing her poems today! I think the first one will be great for "Poetry in the Halls" at my kids' high school.

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  4. Thanks for these excerpts - I now must run off and buy that collection!

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  5. Thank you for these beautiful poems. My love for Mary Oliver grows with each one.

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  6. I love Mary Oliver poems! My favorite of these three is "That Little Beast."

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  7. I have this book, but am reading several others plus the Cybils finalists, but now you've made me want to run over and start reading. These are lovely, but I love how she talks about a poem, makes it live for all of us. The third one is such a love poem, isn't it? Thanks, Irene.

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  8. I haven't gotten this collection yet, but I love Mary Oliver so eventually it will find its way to my hands. The three poems you shared today have already found their way to my heart. Thank you, Irene. : )

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  9. I received this for Christmas, and dip into it every day. Everything That Was Broken is one of my favorites!

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  10. I received this for Christmas, and dip into it every day. Everything That Was Broken is one of my favorites!

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  11. I looked at this book last week at Tattered Cover and put it back, I wanted it, but just thought I should not spend any more money on books! Now I know I have to go back and buy it. And will you please read the rest of the poems and send them? I loved listening to your performances! Beautiful! Thank you!

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  12. I looked at this book last week at Tattered Cover and put it back, I wanted it, but just thought I should not spend any more money on books! Now I know I have to go back and buy it. And will you please read the rest of the poems and send them? I loved listening to your performances! Beautiful! Thank you!

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  13. Thank you for sharing these, Irene. I read this book last weekend and an simply in awe of Mary Oliver's genius. I've been rereading over the past week, and have several favorites. This line has become my mantra: "Things take the time they take. Don't worry."

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  14. Wonderful poems! Thanks for this treat.

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  15. Gosh, these are gorgeous. I haven't gotten my hands on this book yet. Must do that. "That Little Beast" made me chuckle:>)

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Your thoughts?