Tuesday, October 4, 2011

When Death Comes



When Death Comes
Mary Oliver

When death comes
like the hungry bear in autumn,
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse

to buy me, and snaps the purse shut,
when death comes
like the measle-pox.

When death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,

I want to step through the door full of curiousity, wondering
what is it going to be like,
that cottage in the darkness?

And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility

and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth,
tending, as music does, toward silence,
and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to earth.

When it is over, I want to say all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was a bridegroom taking the world into my arms.

When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular and real.

I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.

I don't want to end up
simply having visited this world.






Picture found here.

22 comments:

  1. An excellent piece! (Top-notch photo too!)

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  2. What a beautiful piece and I love the photo.

    Wishing you a lovely day by friend,
    LuLu~*xoxo

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  3. Hi Eric

    The photo is from a cemetery in Italy. I plan on doing a post on it in the near future.

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  4. Hi LuLu

    Thank you. Wishing you a lovely day as well.

    Blessings, Vivienne.

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  5. "A bride married to amazement" Love it!!

    This poem made me think of a book I read called The Shack, which had a really unique perspective on god and death.

    Oddly enough, it also made me think of the movie Harold & Maude, which also reflected a unique position on life and death.

    Are you familiar with either one?

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  6. What a brilliant poem. I have never seen it before. I absolutely love it!

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  7. Hi Lil Dreamer
    That is one of my favorite lines as well. We should always be amazed at life.

    I am not familiar with either one but i will check them out. Thanks for the recs.

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  8. Hi Robin

    This poem is a beauty. It's a reminder to live your life to the fullest!!

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  9. Gorgeousness...in image and words..and i too celebrate the veil of death and the potent beauty it will hold when that time comes..powerful and magnificet post!what a cool synchronicity..in a conversation i was having a few days back about the beuaty of life..but also the beauty of the afterworld journey as well and the new world of magic it will hold!
    victoria

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  10. Very beautiful, thank you !!
    Have a magical day.

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  11. Hi Victoria

    I find it better to see the beauty in death rather than fear it. just think of all the people we will meet on the other-side.

    Blessings to you my friend.

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  13. Hi Moncha

    Your welcome, I'm happy you enjoyed the poem and picture.

    Hope your day is filled with magic as well.

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  14. I love the poem, beautifully written. I also love the picture.<3

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  15. Beautiful poem and beautiful picture, Vivienne. I hope you are doing well today! Blessings!

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  16. Hi Magic Love Crow

    I am doing well. I have had a lot of coffee today,his favorite drink.

    Thank you my friend, your kind words mean a lot to me.

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  17. "I want to step through the door full of curiousity, wondering
    what is it going to be like,
    that cottage in the darkness?"

    Particularly thought provoking! Love the picture, too!!

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  18. "I want to step through the door full of curiousity, wondering
    what is it going to be like,
    that cottage in the darkness?"

    Particularly thought provoking! Love the picture, too!!

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  19. Thanks for this. Always liked Mary Oliver. Have you ever read her poem about the cat born with one eye? I think it's in her collection titled American Primitive.

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  20. Hi Keith

    You're welcome. I have not heard of that poem but I will look it up, thank you.

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  21. Hi Little Gothic Horrors

    There are many lines that are thought provoking, this being one of them. Thank you.

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