Sharing the Joy Thursday: Egrets

Little Egrets from BaliLittle Egrets from Bali ~ Lia Brand Photography

Egrets
Mary Oliver
   
Where the path closed
down and over,
through the scumbled leaves,
fallen branches,
through the knotted catbrier,
I kept going. Finally
I could not
save my arms
from thorns; soon
the mosquitoes
smelled me, hot
and wounded, and came
wheeling and whining.
And that's how I came
to the edge of the pond:
black and empty
except for a spindle
of bleached reeds
at the far shore
which, as I looked,
wrinkled suddenly
into three egrets - - -
a shower
of white fire!
Even half-asleep they had
such faith in the world
that had made them - - -
tilting through the water,
unruffled, sure,
by the laws
of their faith not logic,
they opened their wings
softly and stepped
over every dark thing
.
 
 
To See more Joyful Posts go to Meri’s Musings!

Comments

  1. Love those Egrets in flight and the wings are so beautiful!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the egrets and the herons. All the winged ones, the four legged, the crawlers and the swimmers too. Bautiful poetry. I realized I think this poetic way, but seldom try to write it, when I find myself in the now, living with what I see. I have walked these kinds of paths, in through thorns, eaten by mosquitoes. The prize is always worth it, even if it is to feel the mosquito "bite" or give a Grandmother back to the water. And today, there will be no mosquitoes as we're up to our butts in snow! (I love that too, but only until I get to New Mexico)

    Peaceful thoughts

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Wrinkled suddenly into three egrets..." Doesn't Mary Oliver's use of language just make you shiver? Reading her words, saying them aloud -- now THAT gives me joy. The photo of the egrets in flight is marvelous -- nice fine.

    ReplyDelete
  4. "by the laws
    of their faith not logic,
    they opened their wings
    softly and stepped
    over every dark thing."

    i feel like you just gave me a christmas present : )

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts