Mary Oliver
When the blackberries hang
swollen in the woods, in the brambles
nobody owns, I spend
all day among the high
branches, reaching
my ripped arms, thinking
of nothing, cramming
the black honey of summer
into my mouth; all day my body
accepts what it is. In the dark
creeks that run by there is
this thick paw of my life darting among
the black bells, the leaves; there is
this happy tongue.
4 comments:
It's funny that you put this poem here, because it's one that I remember from high school and a prep. AP Lit exam that I took in Schultz's class. I've been wondering where and what this poem was for a long, long time. I remember, when I first saw it, I'd had very little experience with poetry and I had little idea of how to really read things--how to see beyond the realities of a poem or other work to the threads of meaning. I remember thinking of nothing but blackberries, all-the-while knowing that I was missing something huge. Now I can see how bittersweet this poem is. How sometimes life takes so much out of us (internally), that our expression is purest and strongest through things external to us.
Thank you for posting this. And for all of your posts. How are things?
i was really asking ...i think i'm lonely for someone to talk back.
oh, bgo! i've written you a letter and carried it from alpena to traverse city to bloomfield and now to lansing, where i finally have your address; it will be in the mail soon. things have been so chaotic this week, but good, and then again tiring (and trying at times)... it feels good to be back in lansing but i've been here all of 2 hours and already i'm packing to move to chicago. AND... well, i think i'll just post that. how have you been, friend?
I'm sorry for my lameness here. There I went asking for your response, then it takes me several days to get back to you.
I'm excited about the letter--thank you, even now, (though you may still not have sent it yet--your thoughtfulness is appreciated).
Life sure sounds busy for you. Have you made it to Chicago? I'm also excited that you're going to be (or maybe already are) there. Seems like a great place to live and to write, both of which I hope you'll be doing lots of.
Here, things are challenging. I'm growing. Actually, I wrote "growning" at first, which seems an appropriate combination of groaning and growing. That probably sums up the week I've had, but I'm emotional sometimes in ways that I can't seem to control and that also seem hardly necessary... At times, homesick. Yep, I'm growning. My pal Nora has been away for three weeks, and I'll probably be feeling a bit different by the end of next week. It's week-by-week, day-by-day right now.
I shouldn't complain--I really have little to complain about.
Thanks for asking, and for your response.
Hope things are well on your end!
Much love--
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