Reading for the Road Ahead

Next weekend, Julie and I are taking off for Washington DC then up to New Hampshire for a few days. In preparation, I went to Schuler Books to pick up Gary Snyder's new release Back on the Fire. Surprisingly, they didn't have a single copy in stock. So I placed my special order and then set about browsing.

I came across a newly released book of poems by Mary Oliver called "Thirst." I flipped open the cover and read on the inside flap that this is her first published book of new poetry since the death of her companion of 40 years. I then sampled a few poems and saw that this book of poetry takes Oliver in the direction of looking more directly at faith.

The book opens with the poem Messenger.

My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird--
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.