Cherished Things

Last year for my birthday wonderful Pob sent a book of poetry I'd been coveting and I thought that today would be a good day for a poem.

Over the last while I've gotten some great books (Charles deLint with Chris' Amazon Gift Cert last year, as well as others) and although I know you know how much I love books, I thought it would nice to make sure you that you all know that a gift you've given me is treasured.

Still.

Dark is as dark does.
      ~~
Something with the smallest wings shakes itself
from under a thumb of bark.

The ocean breathes in its silver jacket.
      ~~
Outside, hanging on the trellis, in the moonlight,
   the flowers are opening, each one
as fancy in its unfurl as a difficult thought.
      ~~
So we cross the dark together.
      ~~
Outside: the almost liquid beauty of the flowers.
      ~~
Now the linnets wake.
Now the pearls of their voices are falling
    in the morning light.
      ~~
Did we sleep long? Is it this life still, or
is it the next life, already? Are we gone, then?
Are we there?
      ~~
How will we ever know?


Mary Oliver