Mary Oliver is one of my favourite poets. When I open a book, I am often drawn to her writing. There is something in the simplicity that is profound. She peels away layers in ways that help me see the world quite differently.
Father Richard Rohr comments that we live the first half of life in busyness and, if we are lucky, the second half is one where we slow the pace, contemplate, and find wisdom which helps us grow into the life we are.
Quite often, the voices which distract and the barriers on the road are ones I create. It takes time, patience, and support to find the light seeping through clouds. The stars’ make the journey hopeful, that I can go deeper into the life.
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice–
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations–
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice,
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world
determined to do
the only thing you could do–
determined to save
the only life you could save.
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About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
Beautiful thoughts and poem. It is often difficult to recognize our own inner voice because instead of us being mindful, our mind is full…of other voices and general hubbub of our hurried life. Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome and thank you for a lovely comment. It sounded very much like Parker Palmer and Thomas Merton’s thinking about the inner voice that needs quiet to be heard.
I love Mary Oliver’s poetry as well!!!!!
She is an incredible writer who touches me spiritually each time I read a poem or even a passage by her.
Beautiful and profound. Thank you for sharing. ~Tom
You are welcome and thank you Tom.
Love Mary Oliver, and what a perfect way to start my day! Your analogy as to her writing is spot on and I had never thought of it in that way, she peels away the layers and lies it directly at our feet. Yes, if we are fortunate enough in the second half of our life to see the stars we are doubly blessed. Thank you for these lovely words on this cold winter’s morning!
Thank you on many levels. I find all of her poems touch me in very spiritual ways and it is easy to discover multiple meanings in one poem.
Take care and stay warm.
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
SHORT OR LONG, WE SEEK TO SING OUR SONG…!
Thank you Jonathan for the re-blog and the comment. We do sing our songs.
Congratulations, Ivon! I have nominated you for an award. If you do not wish to accept it – no problem. Simply interpret this as my admiration and for sharing your wonderful posts with us all. ~ Amelia 🙂 http://mungaiandthegoaconstrictor.me/2014/02/03/thanks-for-the-nominations-part-two/
Thank you Amelia. I appreciate the acknowledgement.
You are most welcome, Ivon 🙂