I am sitting here crying on my bed, I with severe depression and an incredible amount of pain as so many bad things are happening to me right now. But hearing her voice and listening to this amazing poem has helped me more than anything else in the last few weeks! And I know the chance of Helena reading this is very small, but nevertheless I just want to say thank you, you have helped me so much over the last years and brought me out of my deepest hole and for that I just wanted to say thank you, it's great that you exist, you are so incredibly great and inspiring and that has been my whole life! ❤️🩹
My long time favorite poem. Our tragedy is that the natural world is disappearing. We pagans and tree huggers have fewer and fewer retreats in the natural world and the weather is disrupted by wildfires, floods, disappearances of species
This poem hasn't stopped comforting me since i was first imtroduced to it 15 years ago. It's a salve for the soul. Thanks so much for reading it so tenderly! Good god
IN THE NEXT ROOM & ALWAYS I come home from the grocery store and there you sit in our, sorry, your recliner and your big, ardent smile of a greeting, pierces my soul. “Is the smile for me, Bette or is it the groceries?” “Oh, come on, the smile is for you, my love...now hurry...tell me what's in the bag?” “Ah, we do like a good list of grocery items don't we...now, let's see, there is milk, coffee, cereal...” “What kind?” “Now, Bette, would I put myself at risk of bodily harm if I didn't get your favorite cereal...” “You had to guess, didn't ya? I can see you now, pacing the aisle, looking at all those boxes of cereal, and not having a clue.” “Hey! I'm not entirely clueless...just the f'ing memory.” “I know babe, so what you choose?” “Grape Nut Flakes.” “Bingo!” “Truly?” “Would I lie...don't answer that, so what else you got in that bag.” “Pasta shells, Marinara sauce, mushrooms, broccoli, chocolate cake, and all the fixings for a healthy salad." “Great, you remember we had the Newman salad dressing.” “Yes.” “Question” “Yes, but first, let me go to the kitchen and get the milk and produce into the fridge.” “Of course.” “Oh, Bette, you didn't have much of that organic juice I bought the other day.” “I will have some later.” “Don't forget.” “I won't...anyway, that's your department, 'where did I put my keys', John.” “Ha, ha, very funny.” “I thought so, now that question.” “Oh, I'm sorry, yes, Bette.” “Can I have dessert before dinner?” “Now, I don't know about that, that's not the way you been raised.” “But things are different, now, Dad.” “You mean...” “Of course, I mean, John!” “Jeez, Bette, I hear you. I'm just in the next room, you know.” “Sorry.” “Come to think of it, Bette, I can't think of anything better than a slice of chocolate cake and a cup or glass of...” “Milk, please, a glass of milk...and, by the way, that organic milk tastes real good.” “Yes. I'm glad we started going more organic, especially now, since you...” “What do you want to do tonight, John, after dinner?” “I don't know sweetheart...whatever you'd like.” “Oh, boy, John...wrong answer.” “Scrabble again, Bette?” “Yup, third night in a row and loving it...you four-letter word loser, you.” “Ah gee, Bette, don't pick on me.” “Hey, how miserable the last months be if I can't pick on thee.” “I am honored, my rhyming Bette. And, speaking of rhyme, are you enjoying Mary Oliver?” “I am, yes, and thank you for the book. She is a wonderful Poet.” “I knew you were familiar with her and liked her so I checked the bookcase, didn't see that volume, and, voila.” “It is a nice edition, John. I do have an earlier one but it's tucked away and it has been a while since I read it so...this is perfect.” “You will still hold on to the earlier edition, won't ya?” “Oh, sure, John.” “Good. I imagine you made comments in the margins like you do with books you really appreciate.” “For sure. And, love of my life, do you know what I did?” “Oh, what you do now?” “Hey.” “No, I mean...please tell me.” “I wrote a poem for you and it's in an envelope, hidden away.” “Oh, love, I can't wait to read it, I will go find it...we'll play the “Hotter/Colder” search game....ready when you are.” “Let it be, hon...can you wait, till...” “I can if that be your wish, Bette.” “It is.” “And you won't forget to leave me a note as to where, before...” “Yes, my loveable, lousy scrabble player...and where is my milk and chocolate cake?” *
I AM I am somewhere betwixt the raindrops; I am the gossamer web undone. I am dull and lacking iredescence; I am reaching for the sun. I am a simmer in the darkness, I am a firefly in June. I am a praying silhouette because... I am grateful for her moon. #hbc #maryoliver #wildgeese #gratitude
That's bizarre. I ordered a book by Mary and it arrived a few days ago. Last night I read this poem then this appears on my computer. Hmm....love Helena B C though, my namesake! ;)
I couldn't hear it either, but I found this on some website: I love sharing poems on my blog by published poets, most especially the ones that speak to my heart and soul (and body). The following is such a poem that forms part of William Seighart’s collection The Poetry Pharmacy which I have shared from before. In his introduction to this poem by Mary Oliver which he prescribes as an antidote for self recrimination, Sieghart writes : ... So presumably HBC is saying self recrimination as well.
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 your 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.
Thank you for taking me back to this poem, lovely Helena Always a good to remember that we are part of the family of things. Hope you’re feeling better too ♥️
Some do. But they charge too much. I like this book. Never heard of it! However, with all the reading i do i alway go to the scriptures. Yes the Bible. Psalms. Ecclesiastes. Song of Solomon. Much older than Shakespeare. Much older than some of the best poets and yet still so profound and true even on this very day. And free.
@@marc7585 I am sorry to hear you are feeling this way. Desolate...so sad. I think many feel sad but for me, even if i were surrounded by people, when im low i feel completely alone. Desolate i guess i would say as well. When i read that, I thought ...Yeah good way to describe it. There are so many scriptures i turn to but one came to mind straight away..Revelation 21:(I'll shorten a bit) ..."he will wipe out every tear from their eyes and death will be no more....mourning..outcry..pain will be no more. The former things have passed away." Psalms 37:10, 11. Whoa...so many are coming to mind and little space. Isaiah 65:21, 22. Some think the scriptures are outdated but the more i read the more i see that they were written for the future that we are livinf in right now. So then i see that there is a solution to the sadness. I try to read some each day. I hope you feel better soon. Take care.
@@catmansma I felt very seen through your whole message, thank you for taking some time out to respond to me and give me some beautiful verses 💕 they felt like warm chicken soup for an admittedly weary soul, thank you dear friend
@@marc7585 that is so kind of you. Thank you. Sometimes a hello or a smile can lift me up. But sometimes those simple things are few and far between. I love to read. Someone gave me a little bible when my mom died. ( I was 11...long time ago) and i read it. Some things are obvious, some seem difficult to understand but i kept reading. But over time i gained trust and that gave me confidence. And all these things ive been reading about are actually happening. So even when i feel really bad i have hope in me. I know this is not a popular sentiment these days but i can only say that i have proved it to myself. When i hear something from someone, i look it up to see if it is so. Sometimes it is not. So i would say dont take my word for it...look for yourself. It is actually exciting. Take care!!
One of her favorites is i believe called warning? Or When im old i shall wear purple. Something like that. Although i dont know the title, it is one of my favorites as well. I could of written it when in my 20's ( as the auther Jenny..Jones? was. See i dont know but it is my favorite). I had 4 children and had such a hard time of it. Now im 60. But i dont want to wear purple. I do however do Not want to act my age. But, this poem i will certainly add to my faves. Its beautiful. And i spend a lot of time talking to birds. (No doubt). And yes sweet Helena.....better. Much. You as well? I hope.
