For You!

Dear One & All,

Some of you probably know the poems of Mary Oliver, who has an exquisite Voice. This one, from her collection called, "Why I Wake Early," is a gift to you on the subject of nature, which many of us have made references to over these past weeks. And speaking of nature, this morning as we returned from the dog beach, I saw yet another turtle struggling across the road. Stopping in the middle of three lanes (not very smart, but I'd looking in the rearview mirror first, to make sure that no one was near enough to run into the back of us), I snatched a towel and hurried out of the car, struggling to pick up the turtle, who was NOT happy (Gopher turtles, big claws and bad tempers when they're frightened). I got him/her out of the road and headed toward some water, and then I turned to face the now-stopped three lanes of traffic, suddenly realizing that the top of my bathing suit was untied and had peeled down on one side. Ah, well . . .

Mindful, by Mary Oliver

Every day
I see or hear
something
that more or less

kills me
with delight,
that leaves me
like a needle

in the haystack
of light.
It was what I was born for -
to look, to listen,

to lose myself
inside this soft world -
to instruct myself
over and over

in joy,
and acclimation.
Nor am I talking
about the exceptional,

the fearful, the dreadful,
the very extravagant -
but of the ordinary,
the common, the very drab,

the daily presentations.
Oh, good scholar,
I say to myself,
how can I help

but grow wise
with such teachings
as these -
the untrimmable light

of the world,
the ocean's shine,
the prayers that are made
out of grass?