Pressing Pause for Poetry: Mary Oliver

Photo via flickr.com/photos/martha2

Since I've been in Cape Cod for over a week now, I see it only fitting to include a poem by one of Cape Cod's most well-known poets, Mary Oliver. She lives in Provincetown, not *too* far from where we've been staying this past week (although I have learned during this trip that even though I've been here 5+ times now, I STILL don't understand all the towns, villages, localities, and nooks & crannies of Cape Cod). Anyways, although she often writes about nature, one of my favorite poems by Oliver is about breaking free and finding yourself among all the noise in the world. Read on for a bit of inspiration, Mary Oliver style...

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice--
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.


Such a powerful poem that I believe speaks for itself! Way to go, you strong lady of Provincetown, you.

And with that, I'm off to enjoy a beautiful Saturday wedding :) If the rehearsal dinner was any indication, the wedding will be a blast and a half. So much fun last night!!!

Namaste,
Mary Catherine

---