At the shore, I am called upon by two women,
rivulets of their presence run up the beach’s slope
slipping away then rushing forward to my feet.
rivulets of their presence run up the beach’s slope
slipping away then rushing forward to my feet.
I didn’t invite Mary Oliver or Jane Kenyon along
on a trip to relax by the sea, forget the current
woes of the world and the pains we all share.
on a trip to relax by the sea, forget the current
woes of the world and the pains we all share.
They haunt me, since I feel kin to their feelings,
yet like an attempt to catch the receding waves
I can’t hold on to their fleeing wisdom,
yet like an attempt to catch the receding waves
I can’t hold on to their fleeing wisdom,
failing in my efforts to take the natural world
to heart as capaciously as Oliver did, or
realize being here is as precious as Kenyon did.
to heart as capaciously as Oliver did, or
realize being here is as precious as Kenyon did.
How did Oliver lure birds and turtles to enter
her soul so snuggly their rhythms synchronized
better than lessons we are supposed to learn
her soul so snuggly their rhythms synchronized
better than lessons we are supposed to learn
from human families to guide us though life?
Or how did the ways of herons or steps of bears
take hold of her body to propel her along
Or how did the ways of herons or steps of bears
take hold of her body to propel her along
quiet paths around kettle ponds and dunes,
stumbling upon hidden caches of wonder?
Echoes of her words point to an unseen path.
stumbling upon hidden caches of wonder?
Echoes of her words point to an unseen path.
Remembering simple joys, whether watching
in awe a cormorant dive below waves for fish,
with still water remaining for what seems forever
in awe a cormorant dive below waves for fish,
with still water remaining for what seems forever
or the briny air smelling so fine in early morning,
yet all these seaside delights could be otherwise
as Kenyon put it, holding them to her light.
yet all these seaside delights could be otherwise
as Kenyon put it, holding them to her light.
