On Winter's Margin

Portrait of Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver 1935–2019

On winter's margin, see the small birds now With half-forged memories come flocking home To gardens famous for their charity. The green globe's broken; vines like tangled veins Hang at the entrance to the silent wood.

With half a loaf, I am the prince of crumbs; By snow's down, the birds amassed will sing Like children for their sire to walk abroad! But what I love, is the gray stubborn hawk Who floats alone beyond the frozen vines; And what I dream of are the patient deer Who stand on legs like reeds and drink that wind; -

They are what saves the world: who choose to grow Thin to a starting point beyond this squalor.

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Sally Bethea26 words
  1. Sally Bethea United States

    This is one of my all time favorite poems and one of my favorties by Mary Oliver. We are here now - all of us...can we?....

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