Sunday, June 14, 2009

shadow, ocean and expanse


Desire
by 
Mary Oliver
So long as I am hanging on
I want to be young and noble.
I want to be bold.
So said the great buck, named Swirler,
as he stepped like a king past me the week
before he was arrow-killed.
And so said the wren in the bush after
another hard year of love, of nest-life, of
singing.
And so say I early morning, just before
sunrise,
wading the edge of the dark ocean.




I awoke to chicken sounds. I drove in mist and fog.
Swam in clear blue waters, got hot from too much sun.
Felt the familiar wave of inspiration wash
over me as I sat with my writing book and 
favorite pen. I remember in a dance class I
once took when we would have trouble with the steps
my teacher would say, "Just let the dance wash over you"
This is what my hours and minutes are
like a slow and subtle washing over. 
I am in a place I once lived. Exploring
all over again, Hawaii and it's smells. Old memories
lie in all of it. The buildings, the sounds of
flip flops on the pavement, the same tea at the
cafe I used to work at. I remember and I whisper
"Wash over me, Wash over me".

5 comments:

  1. Gorgeous, gorgeous post today. I love Mary Oliver and your prose at the end ties in so well with her words that they could be an extension of the same thought.
    Peace~
    Dawn

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  2. When I read something so beautiful, I wonder how did she do that? How did she just put all those words together and make something that I want to read over and over. The first sentence is what took me in..."I woke to chicken sounds"

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  3. I hope that your time there is full of magic and contentment....have a wonderful time! xo~Jen

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  4. so very lovely. so happy to find this post and your sharing of your time in hi.

    just let the dance wash over you... i love that so much.

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  5. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! magic sweet one!

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