Mary Oliver Reading

Nina invited Lynn and I to attend a Mary Oliver poetry reading this afternoon at Wellesley College. It was free and open to the public. It was held in a beautiful chapel and every seat was taken. She graciously invited late-comers to sit on the floor and stairs in front. I have attended very few poetry readings -- my loss! It was quite wonderful. After the reading we went into the museum/gallery. A passer-by took this photo of us in a strange little outdoor staircase.

She read this, my favorite poem of hers:

"Wild Geese"

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

I am not feeling 100%. I spent much of the afternoon sleeping which is really unusual. Mark is working from home today. He has been jones-ing for a huge high-definition TV and I finally gave in. He brought home a 55-inch monstrosity which horrifies me. I find it creepy, so much like the book Farenheit 451. It's in a room where I don't have to look at it so there is that consolation.

It is fun to be home with Sasha all week. She continues to sleep through the night with no messes in her crate. If Mark gets up first, she beelines to find me in bed rather than going outside to pee. We are totally bonded at this point. She has brought such joy and companionship that these days I take her everywhere I can, and if dogs are not allowed, it's really a consideration!