What poem fill you with wonder?

Mar 11

What poem fill you with wonder?

Inviting all you lovely readers to share your wonder-ful poem with me/each other. I’ll go first.

Where Does the Temple Begin, Where Does It End? by Mary Oliver

There are things you can’t reach. But
you can reach out to them, and all day long.

The wind, the bird flying away. The idea of God.

And it can keep you as busy as anything else, and happier.

The snake slides away; the fish jumps, like a little lily,
out of the water and back in; the goldfinches sing
from the unreachable top of the tree.

I look; morning to night I am never done with looking.

Looking I mean not just standing around, but standing around
as though with your arms open.

And thinking: maybe something will come, some
shining coil of wind,
or a few leaves from any old tree–
they are all in this too.

And now I will tell you the truth.
Everything in the world
comes.

At least, closer.

And, cordially.

Like the nibbling, tinsel-eyed fish; the unlooping snake.
Like goldfinches, little dolls of goldfluttering around the corner of the sky

of God, the blue air.

1 Comment

Joy does not arrive with a fanfare

on a red carpet strewn

with the flowers of a perfect life

joy sneaks in

as you pour a cup of coffee

watching the sunlight

hit your favourite tree, just right

and you usher joy away

because you are not ready for her

your house is not as it should be

for such a distinguished guest

but joy cares nothing for your messy home

or your bank-balance, or your waistline, you see

joy is supposed to slither through

the cracks of your imperfect life

that’s how joy works

you cannot truly invite her

you can only be ready when she appears

and hug her with meaning

because in this very moment

joy chose you”

Donna Ashworth

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