« Previous | Main | Next »
When Death Comes ~ Poetry Thursday
November 02, 2006
Cemetery Tree ~Canon 30d
When death comes
like the hungry bear in autumn
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse
to buy me, and snaps his purse shut;
when death comes
like the measle pox;
when death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,
I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering;
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?
And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,
and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,
and each name a comfortable music in the mouth
tending as all music does, toward silence,
and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.
When it's over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was a bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened
or full of argument.
I don't want to end up simply having visited this world
Mary Oliver is by far my favorite living poet. She's right up there with Yeats in my book. Spiritual, authentic, dancing along the edge of truth with her words. I love her work. This image was shot over the weekend in Greensboro, North Carolina at a very old cemetery. Call me silly, but I enjoy visiting cemeteries as they prompt deep thinking and reevaluation of what is most important in my life. And, not surprisingly, the oldest tombstones are the most interesting and tasteful. We've lost so much in the way of simplicity, elegance and form when it comes to graveyard aesthetic in the last century.
:)
Posted by vincent at November 2, 2006 11:16 AM
Comments
Oh, cemeteries can do so much for the soul!
Posted by: dan at November 2, 2006 12:05 PM
Wonderful poem, so very wise and true.
Posted by: Crafty Green Poet at November 2, 2006 01:18 PM
She is a wonderful poet. Thank you for bringing her to me. I was thinking about my death just last night and about how I felt about that.
Posted by: Brian at November 2, 2006 02:04 PM
Oliver is such an anchor, and your images of the fall-colored cemetary are reverant. Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Jim at November 2, 2006 02:41 PM
My office overlooks a cemetery. Nobody wanted my office because they thought it was morbid and creepy! I love it. It's inspiring and anytime I think I'm having a bad day, all I have to do is look out my window to remember . . .
Posted by: Dennis at November 2, 2006 04:57 PM
I love Mary Oliver and had not read this gem of hers. Thank you for posting it. Yeats has a poem that I just heard this weekend that goes something like this...
"when your canoe is heading for the waterfall, paddle faster."
my apologies if I misquoted...but that is the gist of it.
Love your website as always.
Posted by: mikaelah at November 3, 2006 10:40 AM
This week has just introduced me to Mary Oliver and she has already inspired me so much. Thank you for sharing this piece! (and the photo is beautiful!)
Posted by: TwilightSpider at November 3, 2006 03:01 PM
My first year of college, I would drag Oliver's book "American Primitive" into the deep forest with me, and press leaves and flowers between its pages, until the paper was green and brown and grey, stained and well-worn. It's one of my favorite poetry collections, period. ;)
Posted by: G. at November 3, 2006 04:07 PM
I like Mary Oliver, too.
Wish I could write like her.
Posted by: my backyard at November 4, 2006 04:08 PM
Each time I visit your blog I leave happier, you give and give and give!!
Thank you.
Posted by: tongue in cheek at November 7, 2006 04:03 PM
Each time I visit your blog I leave happier, you give and give and give!!
Thank you.
Posted by: tongue in cheek at November 7, 2006 04:04 PM