the comfort of a poem

image credit: pixabay

Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous
to be understood.

How grass can be nourishing in the
mouths of the lambs.
How rivers and stones are forever
in allegiance with gravity
while we ourselves dream of rising.
How two hands touch and the bonds will
never be broken.
How people come, from delight or the
scars of damage,
to the comfort of a poem.

Let me keep my distance, always, from those
who think they have the answers.

Let me keep company always with those who say
“Look!” and laugh in astonishment,
and bow their heads.

~ Mary Oliver
(Mysteries, Yes)

16 thoughts on “the comfort of a poem”

  1. “Let me keep my distance, always, from those
    who think they have the answers.

    Let me keep company always with those who say
    “Look!” and laugh in astonishment,
    and bow their heads.”
    so true and so beautiful, Barbara

    1. Nope, Ally, you are not being snarky at all. It’s one of my pet peeves, having to interact with a know-it-all.

  2. I keep thinking of what Leelah just copied. That we might keep our distance from those who think they have the answers. What this makes me think of–is when I think I have the answers. And how to keep a bit of distance from that viewpoint, and maybe see it from a larger perspective.

    1. It’s a humbling thing, to keep to that larger perspective, to realize it’s so easy to fall into the comfort of thinking we’ve found the answers and then to not do it. What I love about poetry and song lyrics, they can have so many varied meanings to us at different times in our lives.

  3. This is a good one, both the photo and Mary Oliver’s poem. Yes, none of us has all the answers, and maintaining a sense of reverent wonder seems like an excellent way to approach life!

    1. Thank you, Debbie! I couldn’t believe my luck in finding the portrait of the lamb with such a sweet expression on its face. Wish we could all frolic in fields of grassy wonder like little lambs. 🙂

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