In Our Woods, Sometimes A Rare Music | Mary Oliver
by Elouise
Here’s another lovely poem by Mary Oliver. It caught my eye and my spirit this morning. My comments follow.
Every spring
I hear the thrush singing
in the glowing woods
he is only passing through.
His voice is deep,
then he lifts it until it seems
to fall from the sky.
I am thrilled.I am grateful.
Then, by the end of morning,
he’s gone, nothing but silence
out of the tree
where he rested for a night.
And this I find acceptable.
Not enough is a poor life.
But too much is, well, too much.
Imagine Verdi or Mahler
every day, all day.
It would exhaust anyone.From A Thousand Mornings, Poems by Mary Oliver
Published by Penguin Books 2013
© 2012 by NW Orchard LLC
This morning I woke up to a songbird greeting the day. I also woke up to promises of rain and more frigid weather. Most importantly, I woke up. Alive and grateful for sleep, on the other side of last week’s highlight—getting a new pacemaker–Lucy II!
Mary Oliver’s poem reminds me that I don’t need an entire day of bird song, or even sunshine. Just being alive and able to hear one songbird is quite wonderful.
Last week I had Lucy (my pacemaker) upgraded to Lucy II. The hospital experience was distinctly less than I remembered. Imagine waking at 5am and getting to the hospital by 6:30am. We made it! That meant I would be home just after lunchtime. Except I wasn’t. Thanks to scheduling issues, I lay there all prepped, stomach empty since midnight, waiting with everyone else for the anesthesiologist to arrive. As it turned out, the fault wasn’t hers.
On the bright side, I haven’t been in such a lively, entertaining place since Covid lockdowns began. The entire surgery team was just there across the way, talking, laughing, obviously enjoying themselves while they too waited for the magic moment.
It came about 3 hours later. I’m glad to say I was out of it in a jiffy, had a good long nap before I woke up, and have been dealing with post-op instructions for nearly a week. I’m weary, prone to sleep anytime of the day or night, grateful for D and for Smudge, and slowly regaining my bearings.
As Mary Oliver points out, I don’t need a concert. I just need a bird song in the morning, a place to lie down and sleep as needed, a cat who loves to sleep with me, and D who makes a wonderful home nurse.
Thanks for stopping by.
Elouise
© Elouise Renich Fraser, 28 February 2023
Photo of wood thrush; found at Wikipedia.
Glad you are recovering well and enjoying the bird’s song!
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Thank you! Of all the things that happen about this time of the year, hearing birds sing in the morning has to be the best wake-up call ever!
Elouise
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🎶❤️
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So glad after that ordeal that you are home and recovering well! I always feel better recovering from stuff at home. 🙂
YAY for D and Smudge!! ❤️❤️
Keep listening to the birds sing! 🙂 🎶🐦
As you know, I love Mary Oliver’s poems!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(((HUGS))) 🙂 ❤️
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Thank you, Carolyn! You would make a great cheerleader. It’s a grand gift, and I’m so grateful for your prayers and upbeat encouragement! 🙂
Elouise
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❤️❤️❤️
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A very lovely way to reflect on another of Mary Oliver’s lovely poems.
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Thank you, John. I hope this finds you well in your neck of the woods!
Elouise
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Hah! I had minor surgery two weeks back and the surgeon was late! Like you, I’d been waiting since 6.30am. Oh, well. Such is life. But it was interesting being wheeled into the operating theatre and realising I was attended by three doctors (2 surgeons and 1 anaesthetist), plus three nurses. It seemed surplus to requirements, but who am I to know what happens while I’m out to it? Made me wonder how they are coping in Ukraine. Or Turkiye. Or Syria.
And, like you, I am now visited by a bird who rarely stops by on our balcony. A beautiful magpie. Our Australian version is different to UK (not sure if you have one in the States). They have a wonderful warble.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?&q=sound+of+australian+magpie&view=detail&mid=29685DEA02F9C62943F729685DEA02F9C62943F7&FORM=VDMCNR&ajaxhist=0&rvsmid=CBFCF023E079DCBAB27ACBFCF023E079DCBAB27A
Good luck with Lucy II.
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So glad that you are “post-op,” Elouise!
I chuckled as I read that all you need is a songbird and a cat – preferably not in the same place…ha!
Enjoy this lovely, sun-filled first day of March!
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Yes…I tend to leave Smudge out of it when I’m listening to songbirds! His favorite would be watching them eat, while dreaming about eating them! 🙂 Thanks for your note. I’m grateful it’s done, though not so thrilled about having to ‘recover’ as they say! 🙂
Elouise
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So instead of my earlier comment, I could just have come here… Thanks for the update. I’m really glad everything went well in the end, and hopeful for your recuperation. Rest, and doing nothing, can be under-rated, sometimes. Bless you! ((xxx)) (And D, and the cat, and the bird, and the air…)
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Sleep has never been so sweet. With gratitude for the blessings. Each of them and a whole lot more!
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So I could just have read this post first, for the update… I’m glad everything went well in the end and I hope you are enjoying your recuperation. Rest is under-rated, sometimes. Bless you, and much love ((xx)) to you, and D, and the cat, and the bird, and the fresh air. …
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Nice rewrite! You would make an outstanding writing coach! 🙂
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2 for the price of 1 😀 😀
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What’s not to love? 🙂 🙂
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I have a big important med-test this week. I’d appreciate your prayers.
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Will do. Thanks for the heads up! 🙂
Elouise
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Thank you so much! ❤️
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It’s the least I can do.
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