My favorite love poem - West Wind 2 by Mary Oliver

for Dan on Valentine's Day

West Wind 2
by Mary Oliver

You are young. So you know everything. You leap
into the boat and begin rowing. But, listen to me.
Without fanfare, without embarrassment, without
any doubt, I talk directly to your soul. Listen to me.
Lift the oars from the water, let your arms rest, and
your heart, and your heart's little intelligence, and listen to 
me. There is life without love. It is not worth a bent
penny, or a scuffed shoe. It is not worth the body of a 
dead dog nine days unburied. When you hear, a mile
away and still out of sight, the churn of the water
as it begins to swirl and roil, fretting around the
sharp rocks --- when you feel the mist on your mouth
and sense ahead the embattlement, the long falls
plunging and steaming---then row, row for your life
toward it.

Still Waters. ©2010. Lisa McShane.

Comments

Sonya Johnson said…
Beautiful, serene painting, Lisa. I can see why you chose it to go with the Oliver poem.
Deborah Paris said…
What a lovely way to say I still love you!
Jala Pfaff said…
Wonderful, wonderful painting. And the poem is perfect with it. The poem also reminded me of the book Let's Take the Long Way Home.
Lisa McShane said…
Thanks Sonya, Deborah and Jala. My husband did see the poem on my blog and of course asked why I wanted him to paddle over a waterfall. Hah!
Елена said…
Очень умиротворяющий пейзаж.

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