Remembering the three things

To Live in This World
By Mary Oliver

Every year
everything
I have ever learned

in my lifetime
leads back to this: the fires
and the black river of loss
whose other side

is salvation
whose meaning
none of us will ever know.
To live in this world

you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal
to hold it

against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.


Image by Steven C

Comments

Sweetpea said…
Blessings to you...
Tess Kincaid said…
Beautiful and thought provoking piece by Mary Oliver. Hope you and yours have a lovely weekend, Kathleen!
M.O. always leads one back to the truth. Thank you for featuring her today.
Hilary said…
Simple, wise advice. And a fabulous photo to demonstrate.
becky said…
That's beautiful Kathleen. I still have to work hard at the letting go thing....
Suldog said…
Very true, very true. Of course, the letting go is often easier said than done.
Gail said…
...if it were that easy
Janie said…
Ah, but the letting go is so difficult.
This is a wonderful poem, and your choice of photo works perfectly.
Mimi said…
Really beautiful, thank you.
Joanna said…
Mary Oliver's poetry just makes me catch my breath with wonder. Thank you for this Kathleen.
Joanna said…
Mary Oliver's poetry just makes me catch my breath with wonder. Thank you for this Kathleen.
Unknown said…
oh, I do so love this poem.
steven said…
kathleen what a beautiful post. i don't think i've read this mary oliver poem before. it's one of those poems that carries me inside and leaves me pesnive. which is alright!! steven
Unknown said…
Hi Kathleen,

Lovely sentiments and a great photo to match.
Lydia said…
Wonderful advice by Oliver. Her words always have such a purity about them.
Erin Davis said…
Is there anything better than Mary Oliver poem on an early summer evening? Perhaps not.

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