dancing sunlight through a window
mws
unpredictable, playfull, offering delight
suddenly emerging, spreading its gift
the eyes see, the heart recognizes
a silent miracle of the familiar1Inspired by a John O’Donohue Poem
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- gratitude, landscape, Mary Oliver, natural areas, Pineridge Natural Area, poems, sunrises, writing/reading
Invitation
Oh do you have time
Mary Oliver, “Invitation,”
to linger
for just a little while
out of your busy
and very important day
for the goldfinches
that have gathered
in a field of thistles
for a musical battle,
to see who can sing
the highest note,
or the lowest,
or the most expressive of mirth,
or the most tender?
Their strong, blunt beaks
drink the air
as they strive
melodiously
not for your sake
and not for mine
and not for the sake of winning
but for sheer delight and gratitude –
believe us, they say,
it is a serious thing
just to be alive
on this fresh morning
in the broken world.
I beg of you,
do not walk by
without pausing
to attend to this
rather ridiculous performance.
It could mean something.
It could mean everything.
It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote:
You must change your life.