Peonies
This morning the green fists of the peonies are getting ready
to break my heart
as the sun rises,
as the sun strokes them with his old, buttery fingers
and they open–
pools of lace,
white and pink–
and all day the black ants climb over them,
boring their deep and mysterious holes
into the curls,
craving the sweet sap,
taking it away
to their dark, underground cities–
and all day
under the shifty wind,
as in a dance to the great wedding,
the flowers bend their bright bodies,
and tip their fragrance to the air,
and rise,
their red stems holding
all that dampness and recklessness
gladly and lightly,
and there it is again–
beauty the brave, the exemplary,
blazing open.
Do you love this world?
Do you cherish your humble and silky life?
Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath?
Do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into the garden,
and softly,
and exclaiming of their dearness,
fill your arms with the white and pink flowers,
with their honeyed heaviness, their lush trembling,
their eagerness
to be wild and perfect for a moment, before they are
nothing, forever?
-“Peonies” from Mary Oliver, New and Selected Poems (Beacon Press).
What’s your favorite line or stanza?
Ok, Cathy — I'd like to be among the first to say how much I love what you're doing on your site 🙂 And I Love that graphic!
Ok, my favorite line:
and all day
under the shifty wind,
as in a dance to the great wedding,
Makes me long for THE great wedding!
Hope you're having a great week. Love you!
Oh, thank you for the encouragement Susan! I'm enjoying the new format (thank YOU!)
Hope you're also having a great week (and a productive one!)
Love you…
Peonies are by far my favorite flower, so I adored the entire poem! I concur with Susan…loving the new format and this feature in particular.
Thank you Allison! I'm glad you're enjoying the new format. 🙂
Peonies are a favorite of mine as well…which is why I love this poem! Of course, I'm a Mary Oliver fan any way.
Tell your mom hello!
The poem is lovely! I think I like this stanza best.
the flowers bend their bright bodies,
and tip their fragrance to the air,
and rise,
their red stems holding
It reminds me of God's grace sustaining us.
I love that, Kathy! Great observation. 🙂
Thank you for sharing…
Blessings!
" as in a dance to the great wedding"
Great line! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing Mary Beth! It seems you're not alone in your choice of favorite lines.
Blessings 🙂
My favorite line
boring their deep and mysterious holes into the curls,
craving the sweet sap, taking it away
What great imagery. Thanks for sharing this, Cathy.
I love that line too, Ellen.
Actually, it's hard to choose only one line/stanza as a favorite. 🙂
Thanks for sharing!