Mary Oliver

While I deeply appreciate the metaphors and symbols of the Christian Church, I sometimes miss the ample references of the non-human world. Mary Oliver invites me back to this in a masterful way. Each and every day we can get out of the human centred world, and witness the interdependence that tree is bird is me is you.

Something has happened

To the bread

And the wine.

They have been blessed.

What now?

The body leans forward

To receive the gift

from the priest’s hand,

then the chalice.

I want

to see Jesus

maybe in the clouds

or on the shore,

just walking,

beautiful man

And clearly

someone else

besides.

On the hard days

I ask myself

if I ever will.

Also there are times

when  my body whispers to me

that I have.

-mary Oliver