The Place I Want to Get Back To
is where
in the pinewoods
in the moments between
the darkness
and first light
two deer
came walking down the hill
and when they saw me
they said to each other, okay,
this one is okay,
let's see who she is
and why she is sitting
on the ground , like that,
so quiet, as if
asleep, or in a dream,
but, anyway, harmless;
and so they came
on their slender legs
and gazed upon me
not unlike the way
I go out to the dunes and look
and look and look
into the faces of the flowers;
and then one of them leaned forward
and nuzzled my hand, and what can my life
bring to me that could exceed
that brief moment?
For twenty years
I have gone every day to the same woods,
not waiting, exactly, just lingering.
Such gifts, bestowed,
can't be repeated.
If you want to talk about this
come to visit. I live in the house
near the corner, which I have named
Gratitude.
"... the house near the corner, which I have named Gratitude."
I would like to say that once you have been nuzzled by the face of a flower, you live in the house named Gratitude forever; but alas, my own life shows that not to be true.
I should read that poem every morning when I get up and every night before bed.
Curt
Gratitude is not something I am particularly good at. The timing of this poem, as with many other pieces that are posted here on I/O on a daily basis, is impeccable.
Thank you. I think I am going to copy this one and post it where I can see it on a daily basis.
Deanna
This is such a beautiful poem, but somehow only part of it has been printed. In the full poem it is adeer which nuzzles the the poet's hand. A bigger thrill than a flower-nuzzle methinks :)
Kayla, et al,speaking of Gratitude, thanks so much for the enlivening, heartening words you send us!. Yes, a deer does the nuzzling, at least in this poem! Although the Inward/Outward excerpt of the wonderful poem mentions that it's taken from "The Place I Want To Get Back To" from Mary Oliver's book "Thirst," some folks might not take the time to Google until they find it on the Web. Mary Oliver's beautiful words and images build on each other to invite us to her house called Gratitude. So it would be great if Inward/Outward would send out the whole poem.
I often visit this "house near the corner" -
It fills me with Beatitude!
Only to depart with a Grateful Heart,
racing ahead of me around "The Corner".
In anticipation...
of what could "Exceed Such Gifts Bestowed" -
Yet unopened and still unlived,
Of God's unbridled Generosity!
his is my response to Mary Oliver's SUCH GIFTS
I've been listening to the trees all my life
Fifty years later,
I understand
They have been talking to me
Whispering, willowing waves of
branches
and leaves
Saying we love you
We are the tickle in your eyes
Whispering words of peace
Soothing your ears in times of
grief
Sing to the joy of emptiness
We smooth away your fears
We bathe you in the grace of giving
Giving is the greatest
gift
Giving away your name
your ego
your shame
Giving you forgiveness
This way you have learnt
forgiveness
Giving what you have learnt
Knowledge is a sharing gift
How can knowledge be a secret
The wind is heavenly music.
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