White and Wild

Image by Harpersbizarre via Flickr

I hope that you aren't tired of hearing about the weather in Alaska. Our clouds have lifted to a slightly higher elevation and have begun releasing gently falling snow flakes, not the great big furious ones, but small and slightly timid ones. It put me in mind of one of Mary Oliver's poems that is one of my favorite winter poems because she so accurately evokes the feelings that I experience here and also because the deep wisdom of this poem doesn't need to have anything at all to do with snow.

Walking Home from Oak-Head

There is something

about the snow-laden sky

in winter

in the late afternoon.

that brings to the heart elation

and the lovely meaninglessness

of time.

Whenever I get home--whenever--

somebody loves me there.

Meanwhile

I stand in the same dark peace

as any pine tree,

or wander on slowly

like the still unhurried wind,

waiting,

as for a gift,

for the snow to begin

which it does

at first casually,

then irrepressibly.

Wherever else I live--

in music, in words,

in the fires of the heart,

I abide just as deeply

in this nameless, indivisible place,

this world,

which is falling apart now,

which is white and wild,

which is faithful beyond all our expressions of faith,

our deepest prayers.

Don't worry, sooner or later I'll be home.

Red-cheeked from the roused wind,

I'll stand in the doorway

stamping my boots and slapping my hands,

my shoulders

covered with stars.

Mary Oliver

Winter blessings.....