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Mary Oliver: I Happened to be Standing

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The poems of Mary Oliver seem like prayers that anyone can pray. Spacious and simple, expansive and ordinary, they don’t require us to believe in anything in particular. But they do ask us to pay attention to the fleeting and particular space of a moment we are living through, which she has touched so tenderly. Here you can listen to her reading one of her poems: "I Happened to be Standing."
Be The Change
1
Mary Oliver died in 2019. Listen to this OnBeing interview recorded in 2015: "Mary Oliver, Listening to the World."
2
Read about one of Mary Oliver's poetic inspirations, Jalal al-Din Rumi.
3
Poetry is such a key to opening the heart. Perhaps it would shift our understanding of self and world if we listened more to what poets are saying and a little less to the daily newscasts. Better yet, why not write a poem from your own heart.
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Reflections (32)

victoria Freeman
The idea of keeping my pen in the air and just listening is powerful instruction for me. I’m constantly trying to capture moments in my word net and pinning them to the story board where they dry out and die.
Tom Trevathan
She reminds me to feel alive!
Mimi Pantelides
Birdsong What is it like to fly? To not be afraid to fall? What about singing so loud, So clear, A shattering whistle a hundred times your size? What it is like to wait in full confidence for the ringing reply you know must come? (from The Forest for the Trees)...How I would have loved to walk the fields with Mary Oliver trading word for word, thought for thought...
nita girish nanavaty
Beautiful Poem..very practical.
Mary-Elizabeth McLaughlin
The idea that prayers help me, not God. Seems so obvious, what was I thinking.This poem is so down-to-earth, so informal and right now. Thanks, it's just beautiful.
Rachael Denny
A good reminder...
Georgianne Giese
I love this "I Happened to be Standing". What is our attempt to be in union if it is not to make our everyday life a living prayer?
Judith
Her voice saying “…I don’t know…” I’m grateful for those who say “I don’t know” when there are so many who seem very sure. Amen.
Lela
Her non judgmental listening to the energy of nature. Beautiful.
Nancy
Her open reverance for all.
Tom Zelinski
Mary Oliver is always inspiring. The boundary between poem and prayer is indeed thin in her writing.
nita girish nanavaty
Beautiful Poem and what a lovely perspective of Nature and life

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