This poem was sent to me by Jenelle Boyer, who also happens to be my daughter. How much better can it get than to receive a lovely poem from someone whom you watched grow from infancy into her current Beingness? I print it here as a gift for all of you – and for me.
The Summer Day
by Mary Oliver
by Mary Oliver
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
Thank you for the gift. It truly is one!
Knowing that other people do read this is a gift, as well. Thank you, Barbara!
Hi Maureen. I’m the woman who stopped by your store the other day with the little boy. I finally had a moment to hit your website and I read the beautiful poem your daughter submitted. Will you thank her for me? It was just lovely (it made me cry) and I’m excited to read more of the poets work. Looking forward to that class! Cheers–Bridget
Thanks, Bridget. I’ll tell her. And I look forward to seeing your creations take shape. Sounds like an exciting project.
Thank you for letting us read this wonderful poem Maureen.
I have been looking to your creations to inspire me back to crafting….and reading the words your daughter has written has made me realise that spending the day just being quiet and looking at the world is what life should be about… not “feeling guilty” about the housework !
Now I can get back to crafting again and see things in a new light.
I am so glad I called by your blog…xxx
Ruby May,
I’m so glad that your comment came in today and caused me to re-read this poem. It is a good one to come back to again and again, I agree! Busy-ness can take over so easily and somehow prevent us from living our life.