North Country by Mary Oliver
In the north country now it is spring and there
is a certain celebration. The thrush
has come home. He is shy and likes the
evening best, also the hour just before
morning; in that blue and gritty light he
climbs to his branch, or smoothly
sails there. It is okay to know only
one song if it is this one. Hear it
rise and fall; the very elements of your soul
shiver nicely. What would spring be
without it? Mostly frogs. But don’t worry, he
arrives, year after year, humble and obedient
and gorgeous. You listen and you know
you could live a better life than you do, be
softer, kinder. And maybe this year you will
be able to do it. Hear how his voice
rises and falls. There is no way to be
sufficiently grateful for the gifts we are
given, no way to speak the Lord’s name
often enough, though we do try, and
especially now, as that dappled breast
breathes in the pines and heaven’s
windows in the north country, now spring has come,
are opened wide.
After this morning's church service, I looked through some Mary Oliver poems about spring and nature. North Country caught my attention. Often I joke with my pastor that our service ends at 10:15 not 10:00. She always says it's because of the prayer time. Indeed, since our service did not meet last week, prayer time was much longer. The prayers were emotional, and I will admit a bit entertaining. From the lady who used wow five times in her prayer to prayers for the three legged dog who had surgery on the leg which is adjacent to the missing leg. From the man who has only been sober for twenty-four hours to the multiple prayers relating to illness. All of the prayers brought us closer as a community. Finally one person summed it up with the understanding that everyone is looking for peace in this moment. We are looking to be "softer and kinder." We are looking "to speak the Lord's name often enough." Today as I treasure the sunshine and the last day of my break, I hope for these things too as I am thankful for my church community.
April Book Connection
I will admit this was easier when I had nothing to do but sit in the sun and read in Mexico. It's not that I don't read everyday, but it's easier when I have the ability to finish a book. As mentioned above today I looked through Mary Oliver's poems. She is definitely someone with a Midwestern heart. The other poem I found interesting was Spring. Often I tell the students it's about making connections to their reading. As I read Spring, I couldn't help but picture the black bear who was caught on camera emptying the bird houses. This man wanted to know who was raiding the bird houses, so he set up a critter camera. It seems it was this gigantic black bear with his hand in the bird house looking for a snack.
In the north country now it is spring and there
is a certain celebration. The thrush
has come home. He is shy and likes the
evening best, also the hour just before
morning; in that blue and gritty light he
climbs to his branch, or smoothly
sails there. It is okay to know only
one song if it is this one. Hear it
rise and fall; the very elements of your soul
shiver nicely. What would spring be
without it? Mostly frogs. But don’t worry, he
arrives, year after year, humble and obedient
and gorgeous. You listen and you know
you could live a better life than you do, be
softer, kinder. And maybe this year you will
be able to do it. Hear how his voice
rises and falls. There is no way to be
sufficiently grateful for the gifts we are
given, no way to speak the Lord’s name
often enough, though we do try, and
especially now, as that dappled breast
breathes in the pines and heaven’s
windows in the north country, now spring has come,
are opened wide.
After this morning's church service, I looked through some Mary Oliver poems about spring and nature. North Country caught my attention. Often I joke with my pastor that our service ends at 10:15 not 10:00. She always says it's because of the prayer time. Indeed, since our service did not meet last week, prayer time was much longer. The prayers were emotional, and I will admit a bit entertaining. From the lady who used wow five times in her prayer to prayers for the three legged dog who had surgery on the leg which is adjacent to the missing leg. From the man who has only been sober for twenty-four hours to the multiple prayers relating to illness. All of the prayers brought us closer as a community. Finally one person summed it up with the understanding that everyone is looking for peace in this moment. We are looking to be "softer and kinder." We are looking "to speak the Lord's name often enough." Today as I treasure the sunshine and the last day of my break, I hope for these things too as I am thankful for my church community.
April Book Connection
I will admit this was easier when I had nothing to do but sit in the sun and read in Mexico. It's not that I don't read everyday, but it's easier when I have the ability to finish a book. As mentioned above today I looked through Mary Oliver's poems. She is definitely someone with a Midwestern heart. The other poem I found interesting was Spring. Often I tell the students it's about making connections to their reading. As I read Spring, I couldn't help but picture the black bear who was caught on camera emptying the bird houses. This man wanted to know who was raiding the bird houses, so he set up a critter camera. It seems it was this gigantic black bear with his hand in the bird house looking for a snack.
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