Wild Geese
by Mary Oliver
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
Every time I read this poem a different line speaks to me. I love the idea that while we experience personal despair the world continues. And this seeming indifference isn't cruel, but rather ideal because everyone is always welcome to crawl out of their place of despair and rejoin life and its joys. We do not have to be good. We just have to BE.
Even though I love this poem, I find it challenging to pull my half-formed thoughts together in a way that I can share with others. Does anyone have any ideas they would like to share?
Beautiful poem... and indeed interesting. I like very much the way you read and explain it. "the soft animal of your body" sound very intriguing as well as the entire phrase "let the soft animal "..." loves what it loves".
ReplyDeleteLoves what? nature? the sun? trees?
Is "the soft animal" a devilish one? 'cause if so, it wouldn't love trees and the sun!
"The world offers itself to your imagination". What a wonderful phrase!!!!!
Ì love it!!! It is welcoming, recomforting, hopeful and truthful!!!
Thanks for sharing this!
Love your blog, this haven of peace!!!