A Poem To Stir The Soul
“Let It Rain Hydrangea Blossom Container Garden” by Texas Flower Artist Nancy Medina
The uncharacteristic summer heatwave we’ve been experiencing in Ireland for the past three weeks has broken and spots of dark rain have started to appear outside my kitchen window. I am drinking a cup of tea and reading a poem by my favorite poet, Mary Oliver and reflecting on these two lines:
All morning it has been raining.
In the language of the garden, this is happiness.
I am not a fan of the rain (we get too much of it in Ireland!) but this morning’s rain is welcome – clearing the air of the heat and heaviness that has made doing any kind of work a real chore lately. These lines of poetry remind me of a quote I featured recently about beauty lying not in discovering new landscapes, but in having new eyes to see. For a while now, I have been feeling on the cusp of a change. As I am slowly (but not fully) emerging from the pain and grief of the past two years, I want to grow in a new direction. I am not quite sure what form that change will take, but Mary Oliver’s words resonate deeply with me:
My heart is out of its flesh-phase.
I am done with all of it, the habits, the patience.
Whoever I was, it is growing hazy and forgettable.
Whoever I am, it is for mere appearance’s sake.
It is for coin, and foolishness,
and I am thinking of something better.
Poetry has such a wonderful ability to stir our souls and nudge us towards an understanding of what lies hidden in our hearts. It felt important today to share this poem with you and if it stirs anything in your soul, I would love for you to share your thoughts. Here is the poem in its entirety.
What I want to know, please, is
what is possible, and what is not.
If it is not, then I am for it.
My heart is out of its flesh-phase.
I am done with all of it, the habits, the patience.
Whoever I was, it is growing hazy and forgettable.
Whoever I am, it is for mere appearance’s sake.
It is for coin, and foolishness,
and I am thinking of something better.
All morning it has been raining.
In the language of the garden, this is happiness.
The tissues perk and shine.
Truly this is the poem worth keeping.
A mossy house anyone with sense would enter
as soon as the soul begins
to desire the impossible.
I have never felt so young.
~Mary Oliver~
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‘i have never felt so young.’
Love that.
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Absolutely beautiful! Thank you for publishing this Marie and meeting me in Dublin. I really understand about the beautifully warm weather in Ireland that I was so lucky to experience. It’s amazing how nice it is to miss the rain – something that is rare in Ireland. “In the language of the garden, this is happiness.” I know there is a cusp of change surrounding you. It’s wonderful to stop and appreciate the happiness in our lives!
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dear marie,
seems like being on the cusp of change must be both happy anticipation, and lots of day-dreaming wondering. musing about it all, then finding this poem of truth and beauty – such a gift, and just when you need It!. good, it is all good.
sending the light of love and possibilities to find your way. XOXOXOXO
Karen, TC
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To change we must trust in the unknown. That has always scared me. But when done thoughtfully, it’s akin to tossing seeds into rough-hewn dirt (which I did plenty of today) and then watching the rain (or the hose, in our dry climate) work its magic. I sense great excitement in your post, Marie! And you so deserve to see some blossoms after the darkness of the past 2 years. xoxo
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What a beautiful poem and I also love the painting of the hydrangeas you chose to go with it. Mine are just coming into bloom š
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This is a wonderfully elegant post, Marie. I’ve been a huge fan of the Irish poets since I wrote a junior in college on Seamus Heaney. But you’re quoting of Mary Oliver ā and your response to her ā makes this a thing of great beauty. Thank you for sharing it with us.
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