Friday, March 07, 2008

Poetry Friday -- For Will and Lyra

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)

8 comments:

  1. Aaah. This is one of my favorites of hers. For some reason, those "clear pebbles of the rain" get me every time.

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  2. One of my favorites too. I do not have to be good. What a relief.

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  3. Ahh, my favorite lines:
    the 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.

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  4. Mary Lee,

    I love Mary Oliver's poetry. I'll add this poem to my list of favorites.

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  5. How encouraging to read this today! Delightful!

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  6. Anonymous10:24 AM

    Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
    the 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.

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  7. Thanks for this wonderful poem. I must get my own collection of her poetry very soon. Now that would be good.

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  8. Anonymous1:21 PM

    This has always been one of my faves. And today again. Thanks...

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