The snails on the pink sleds of their bodies are moving
among the morning glories.
The spider is asleep among the red thumbs
of the raspberries.
What shall I do, what shall I do?The rain is slow.
The little birds are alive in it.
Even the beetles.
The green leaves lap it up.
What shall I do, what shall I do?The wasp sits on the porch of her paper castle.
The blue heron floats out of the clouds.
The fish leap, all rainbow and mouth, from the dark water.This morning the water lilies are no less lovely, I think,
than the lilies of Monet.
And I do not want anymore to be useful, to be docile, to lead
children out of the fields into the text
of civility, to teach them that they are (they are not) better
than the grass.Early Morning, My Birthday, by Mary Oliver
It is beautiful. Hope you had a peaceful and happy birthday.
Happy belated birthday to you, my love. I know this is a bittersweet and very raw one. Sending you a big hug. Wish we could go for a walk along the beach and then search out a treat.
thanks for sharing this poem. It expresses the way I feel about what to do in life, not just what to do on any particular day. I hope you find a moment of peace, a moment of gratitude, and perhaps a moment of quiet beauty on your birthday, Lauren.
Just beautiful. I have *always* been a huge Mary Oliver fan.