Share the Joy: Swan’s Asana

swans asanaSwan’s Asana by Denis Masarskiy

The Swan

Did you too see it, drifting, all night, on the black river?
Did you see it in the morning, rising into the silvery air -
An armful of white blossoms,
A perfect commotion of silk and linen as it leaned
into the bondage of its wings; a snowbank, a bank of lilies,
Biting the air with its black beak?
Did you hear it, fluting and whistling
A shrill dark music - like the rain pelting the trees - like a waterfall
Knifing down the black ledges?
And did you see it, finally, just under the clouds -
A white cross Streaming across the sky, its feet
Like black leaves, its wings Like the stretching light of the river?
And did you feel it, in your heart, how it pertained to everything?
And have you too finally figured out what beauty is for?
And have you changed your life?

--Mary Oliver

http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/m_r/oliver/online_poems.htm

For More Share the Joy Visit Meri’s Musings! You will be glad you did!

Some twenty years ago, I was in Montana at Red Rock Lake, sitting in a little rowboat at midnight with a young man I had just met. I was in my early thirties and more adventurous then. As I recall, he was sweet and very attractive. We decided to go for a late night boating expedition to see what we could see. There was a full moon out that night, hanging low in the evening sky, and suddenly we heard the sound of rushing wings and the koh-koh-koh sound of trumpeting as several bright, beautiful swans flew past the full golden moon. I have never seen anything so exquisite and joyful in my life; they were so free. I have always remembered it. This photo of a swan doing an “asana” reminded me of those amazing and beautiful birds and their flight across the moon over Red Rock Lake, as they serenaded a young woman and man who barely knew each other on a summer night in Montana. If you click on the “koh-koh-kohyou can hear the sound they made! Honest!

Peace and Joy,

Noelle Renee.

Comments

  1. surely you are
    placing great white dreams into the hearts of all.
    and your night on the open water...all those years ago; like yesterday
    when i breath
    your
    words
    here.

    and mary oliver channeling god,beauty, ecstasy all at once...

    mercy, you are the manifestation of JOY for me,
    this
    night.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you, Rebecca for always "seeing me." It makes such a difference in my life, in so many people's lives, I am certain.
    Much Love,
    Noelle

    ReplyDelete
  3. This has been done so cleverly and interestingly!! A very romantic picture accompanies your words and these birds are so beautiful. They appear even in old Indian Mythological stories and play an important part of carrying messages to and fro from a king to his beloved.

    Besides the Swan is always associated as a mount of Goddess Saraswati, also called "hamsa". In Hinduism, Saraswati represents intelligence, consciousness, cosmic knowledge, creativity, education, enlightenment, music, the arts, and power.

    Have a great day Noelle!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nanka,
    Thank you for your fascinating knowledge of Indian mythology. I LOVE to hear those connections, and it seems the swan has that archetypal role in many cultural stories. Of course in the Greek story, Zeus, takes the form of a Swan and has his way with Leda, W.B. Yeats has more than one poem about swans, one about Leda and the swan and another where the swans seem to represent the years of his life and the knowledge he has gained. I am sure there are stories in which they are messengers as well. But I love hearing about the Goddess Saraswati. If you look at the bottom of my blog, one of the water angels has been named Saraswati. I had looked it up when I was creating pictures for the blog because I saw that she represented the arts and creativity. So lovely!
    Thanks, Nanka!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I checked Saraswati below and it looks like a beautiful swan pose too!! We have a River Saraswati flowing in India too and Goddess Saraswati was at first depicted as a river Goddess!!

    Thank you for all the stimulus you provide on your blog Noelle!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Noelle,

    I'm always moved by stories of love and especially so when accompanied by beautiful images. You do more than that though you provide an education which spurs others to add a little bit more, this fascinates me. What a wonderful tribe!

    I'm grateful,

    Sue x

    ReplyDelete

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