When
Death Comes
Death Comes
–by Mary
Oliver (Oct 03, 2006)
Oliver (Oct 03, 2006)
When death comes
like the hungry bear in autumn;
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse to
buy me, and snaps the purse shut;
when death comes
like the measle-pox
when
death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,
death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,
I
want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?
want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?
And
therefore, I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,
therefore, I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,
and
I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,
I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,
and
each name a comfortable music in the mouth,
tending, as all music does, toward silence,
each name a comfortable music in the mouth,
tending, as all music does, toward silence,
and
each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.
each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.
When
it’s over, I want to say all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
it’s over, I want to say all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
When
it’s over, I don’t want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
it’s over, I don’t want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I
don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.
don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.
I
don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.
don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.
–Mary
Oliver
Oliver
© 30 Jun 2014
About
the Author
the Author
I came to the
beautiful state of Colorado out of my native Kansas by way of Michigan, the
state where I married and I came to the beautiful state of Colorado out of my
native Kansas by way of Michigan, the state where I married and had two
children while working as an engineer for the Ford Motor Company. I was married
to a wonderful woman for 26 happy years and suddenly realized that life was
passing me by. I figured that I should make a change, as our offspring were
basically on their own and I wasn’t getting any younger. Luckily, a very
attractive and personable man just happened to be crossing my path at that
time, so the change-over was both fortuitous and smooth.
beautiful state of Colorado out of my native Kansas by way of Michigan, the
state where I married and I came to the beautiful state of Colorado out of my
native Kansas by way of Michigan, the state where I married and had two
children while working as an engineer for the Ford Motor Company. I was married
to a wonderful woman for 26 happy years and suddenly realized that life was
passing me by. I figured that I should make a change, as our offspring were
basically on their own and I wasn’t getting any younger. Luckily, a very
attractive and personable man just happened to be crossing my path at that
time, so the change-over was both fortuitous and smooth.
Soon after, I
retired and we moved to Denver, my husband’s home town. He passed away after 13
blissful years together in October of 2012. I am left to find a new path to
fulfillment. One possibility is through writing. Thank goodness, the SAGE
Creative Writing Group was there to light the way.
retired and we moved to Denver, my husband’s home town. He passed away after 13
blissful years together in October of 2012. I am left to find a new path to
fulfillment. One possibility is through writing. Thank goodness, the SAGE
Creative Writing Group was there to light the way.