I have been sick for about a week with the worst allergies I have had in years. I heard on the news the early day that the Portland area has the highest pollen counts in the nation right now and my sinuses can attest to that. Today is the first day I have felt human in over a week.Sometimes when I have allergies really bad I feel like one of those creatures with the big heads from Star Trek.
I recently came across this poem and thought I would share it with you.
When Death Comes
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 the purse shut;
when death comes like the measles-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 mouthtending 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 the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
When it is 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 From New and Selected Poems
I have always harbored a secret desire to be a writer and recently I found this writing blog Write on Wednesday from a blogger that I remember from when I first starting reading blogs and she is doing this blog as a forum of sorts for other hopeful writers. The topic this week is "What's your line?"
I guess mine would be that I want to live a life that isn't filled with regrets or what if's that at least I took risks and tried and I want to express my amazement at the miracle that is life on earth . I want to let people know that the simple things in life are the most precious and those for the most part are things money doesn't buy in stores.
I would like to know what makes each of you stand in amazement?I hope you will share it with me.
13 comments:
Sorry you’ve been sick, and glad you’re feeling better finally. I’ve noticed my allergies more this year too. Love the gorgeous hydrangea blossoms that look a lot like the ones on MY bush. Thanks for sharing the ‘Oliver’ poem … I’ll need to think a bit about your question because I’m distracted busy at the moment, but will try to return and respond later.
Hugs and blessings,
Hope you get to feeling better soon!
I love Mary Oliver's poems.
I'm glad you're feeling better. My allergies have taken my smell and taste with all this fire smoke.
Mary Oliver is my favorite! Are those your hydrangeas? Beautiful.
Welcome to WOW and your line is a great message for everyone.
Lovely poem.
When I have gone, I hope it might be remembered how much I have loved.
I'm sorry you've been sick. I hope you'll feel better soon. Allergy season can be hard to cope with.
That's a beautiful shot of the hydrangea. Mine is starting to be mixed colors although it's usually blue. Great poem and I love the idea of married to amazement.
I am constantly amazed by the sights and sounds just outside my door: the birds, butterflies, self seeding annuals that spring up each year, bulbs that continue for decades, trees for hundreds of years, how a baby can have such communication skills and personality before it can even talk, the different shapes from various bubble wands, . . . I could go on and on and on . . .
Yolanda, I'm so glad you're feeling better, and it's great to see you participate in Write on Wednesday :)
I couldn't pick a better "line" to have, for writing, or for life.
Your words impart a world of wisdom, and I couldn't agree more.
You are most definitely a writer!
( And I love Mary Oliver!!!)
What a good question!
I stand in amazement when I am simply observing life around me. Light filtering through tree leaves, a child toddling around with a toy, the swooping of swallows, a wind chime's song . . . in the moment, when I am simply present, every thing shows its beauty.
I just bought this book and love this poem.
First of all, I'm always amazed that Anne Frank had such deep insights for her age.
I will join you...at being amazed by life. I'm amazed by the universe...so silent when I look up, yet so full of life and noise, explosions, new stars being born...
I'm amazed at the underwater world. A whole different place with millions of unique and colorful creatures and plants.
I'm amazed that our planet is so beautiful when one views it from space.
I'm amazed at the intricate design of flowers.
I better stop or this will be too long. Thanks for bringing up this topic. I leave your blog, a more cheerful person, than when I first arrived.
I am amazed by my children. I am amazed by their talents, their personalities, their laughter. I am amazed by the emotions that bubble up in me, emotions that have a life of their own. That is what amazes me.
And I too, love hydrangeas.
Where do I find amazement? That in a single brittle little stick there is the power to grow a massive shade bearing tree.
life can be so small and so powerful all at once.
Standing at the foot of a magnificent mountain and looking up amazes me...just as sitting on top of the mountain and surveying the land stretching to the sea, also amazes me.
The way some people can string words and thoughts together into wonderful poems....or carve images in wood....or paint emotions on canvas.
Hope you are feeling better.
Your hydrangea and lavender photos are beautiful. We had pollen season here a couple of months ago. I hope you allergies improve soon.
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