Sitting here in the Pacific NW in mid-April, dark gray days with rain one day, snow the next. Sometimes wind and thunderstorms. Dumping of hail yesterday; it lingers still. I watch for nature’s population. Mary Oliver had a unique perspective on nature as can be seen in her poem, On Winter’s Margin.
I had another post underway for today, but our weather patterns in Oregon have been rather strange. Maybe they are mystifying where you live as well. One day last week we enjoyed a sunny day with a temperature of 75. Then our weather predictors began talking snow from the height of the mountains down to the valley floor where we live. My first paragraph above describes this week, so far. These conditions drew me to Oliver’s poem.
Now sit back and enjoy Mary Oliver’s poem. As always, Oliver fills her stanzas with an understanding of shadow and light both in nature and in human nature.
Sherrey
Featured Image Attribution: Photo by Valentin Hintikka on Unsplash
ON WINTER'S MARGIN by Mary Oliver
On winter’s margin, see the small birds now
With half-forged memories come flocking home
To gardens famous for their charity.
The green globe’s broken; vines like tangled veins
Hang at the entrance to the silent wood.
With half a loaf, I am the prince of crumbs;
By snow’s down, the birds amassed will sing
Like children for their sire to walk abroad!
But what I love, is the gray stubborn hawk
Who floats alone beyond the frozen vines;
And what I dream of are the patient deer
Who stand on legs like reeds and drink that wind; -
They are what saves the world: who choose to grow
Thin to a starting point beyond this squalor.
~~ From Famous Poets & Poems
Thank you for sharing this poem. It seems the weather is crazy everywhere. We’ve had more rain than we usually get, which is a good thing but unusual just the same. Some days it starts to feel like summer, then a cold front comes through. I’m grateful for it, though. Florida will be hot enough soon enough 😉
Thank you for taking the time to comment. I hear that from family and friends living in other regions of the country. We too seem to float between summer and winter here in Oregon. We’re hoping for a cooler summer than last year — a high of 116 and the heat wave lasted a couple of weeks damaging trees, shrubs, gardens, etc. A little less of that, please!
This Mary Oliver poem was not familiar to me, so thank you for it. We too have had wild fluctuations, but today was perfect. Sunny and 70. Thankful for beauty in whatever form it takes. Happy Easter to you and Bob, Sherrey.
Shirley, I’m always excited when a reader shares that I have offered up something they had not read. You are welcome! Mary Oliver has so many lovely poems and some become favorites. This is one of mine. Sending wishes for Happy Easter to you and Stuart.
It has been a cooler than normal spring here in British Columbia but I’m hopeful that this week will be the last of overnight frost. It’s gardening time, after all! Happy Easter to you and Bob, Sherrey.
We’re blessed to have a large enough canopy over our yard that it takes some hard work on the frost’s part to reach very many of our precious spring flowers and plants. But every now and then, it happens! Wishing you and Gerry a Happy Easter too, Linda.
Mary Oliver’s poem is perfect for this liminal season. This reply comes with a wish that April showers will bring May flowers to you and Bob. Happy Easter too! 😀
Marian, so good to see you here! I’ve been worried that something might be amiss in Jacksonville because I wasn’t receiving your posts or seeing you here. Now, I can breathe easy. Thanks for your sweet words. The May flowers are another Mother Nature mix-up. They are here and suffering through this wintry weather. Most are surviving but not the most fragile of them. Happy Easter to you and Cliff!
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