Friday, October 22, 2010

Dusk Pool

Dusk Pool
30 x 30

When I Am Among the Trees

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness,
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, "Stay awhile."
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, "It's simple," they say,
"and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine."

Mary Oliver

2 comments:

Caroline Simmill said...

A beautiful poem by Mary Oliver, thank you for sharing Deborah. I came across a poetry book in the bookshop on Saturday in the busy shop I found a quiet pool of thought within those pages of poetry. A lovely painting Deborah.

Deborah Elmquist said...

What a beautiful added bonus of poetry with your breath taking landscape. A beautiful marriage.