Monday, August 11, 2008

This Night, Wild and Billowing


Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful

than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon

and into the clouds or the hills,
or the rumpled sea,
and is gone--
and how it slides again

out of the blackness,
every morning,
on the other side of the world,
like a red flower

streaming upward on its heavenly oils,
say, on a morning in early summer,
at its perfect imperial distance--
and have you ever felt for anything
such wild love--
do you think there is anywhere, in any language,
a word billowing enough
for the pleasure

that fills you,
as the sun
reaches out,
as it warms you

as you stand there,
empty-handed--
or have you too
turned from this world--

or have you too
gone crazy
for power,
for things?
(The Sun, Mary Oliver)


I did not expect––nor could I have––the way this day would end, with the most perfect sunset of my life, happy with my dog in the park, the two of us grinning and chasing each other, leaning into one another, rolling in the grass and laughing. I know that this night was my reward for a long day, the first hard day of back-to-school Rush and that I earned every second of it.








If there is a god or an afterlife, this night––with light liquid and boiling––is the way I want to be greeted there for I can't imagine more perfect colors or scents or contentment. If I gain nothing else in this life I could die content having stretched out on my back on this night and watched it come on and fade away, a memory as alive as the heart that beats in my chest, as heavy as the breath of the dog laying next to me.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not one mention of needles. Hmmph.

Anonymous said...

Curt,

Skies like those don't happen often. I am glad you found one...even a bit jealous. I'll have to remember to look up.

Curt Rogers said...

Voodoo,

Thanks for whatever magic you managed on me today! It worked miracles. I can't recall a first day of rush that left me feeling so alive and happy! Your needles definitely did the trick!

Anonymous said...

Ms. Oliver's poem is hard to read aloud because she doesn't use enough periods. However, her thought, her syntax and her sentiment needs no punctuation. Good selection Curtle...

Valerie Cummings said...

Curt, I knew you would be rewarded for your first day back! I had a feeling. Those pics of the sky look unreal and I love the portrait of you and Duncan. Oh I saw a monarch butterfly here in front of my house yesterday and thought of you and Duncan.
Love Val Joey and Kealani

Greg said...

That sounds like Heaven ought to be, indeed. And those wonderful pictures...what a stunning bit of the world you call home, my friend.

A lovely poem choice, as well. Nice to see you two boys having fun on your walk!

Unknown said...

Curt, I'm a little late getting to it, but I love, love, love this post and the FANTASTIC pictures! I especially love the one of you and Duncan with the big, happy, smiley face! You can sure tell you two love each other!!