Yesterday, I finished listening to The Amber Spyglass. Before that I listened to The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife, all by Phillip Pullman. I had read all three books, but long enough ago to have forgotten much.
Here's a poem for Will and Lyra, and for me to remember now that they are gone until I read or listen them back to life.
Wild Geese
by Mary Oliver
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
(the rest of the poem is here...the roundup is here)
Friday, March 07, 2008
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Aaah. This is one of my favorites of hers. For some reason, those "clear pebbles of the rain" get me every time.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorites too. I do not have to be good. What a relief.
ReplyDeleteAhh, my favorite lines:
ReplyDeletethe world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
Lovely.
Mary Lee,
ReplyDeleteI love Mary Oliver's poetry. I'll add this poem to my list of favorites.
How encouraging to read this today! Delightful!
ReplyDeleteWhoever you are, no matter how lonely,
ReplyDeletethe world offers itself to your imagination,
So great. This poem is not in my new book of her poems. *sigh* But at least I have a book now, which is something.
Thanks for this wonderful poem. I must get my own collection of her poetry very soon. Now that would be good.
ReplyDeleteThis has always been one of my faves. And today again. Thanks...
ReplyDelete