After Reading 200 pages of Mary Oliver

a poem

Note: this poem was recently published by the South Dakota State Poetry Society in their Spring 2025 issue of Pasque Petals. I thank the editor for selecting this poem and for all the SDSPS labors in sharing South Dakota-inspired poems with the reading public.

After Reading 200 pages of Mary Oliver

I wish I had a stream nearby,

cold and fresh

And not merely the mighty Missouri, majestic in its way,

But not for drinking.

And my life could change

Perhaps

If I encountered more herons

Had more time to ramble through woods.

But Miss Oliver is in the ground now

or in the ocean-

As one poem suggests

And I wish her well.

Mary, there IS so much wonder in the world

Even in my yard

Perhaps the poet’s eyes are helping me to see.

A newborn sure helps-

My little girl flat on her back, kicking.

Eyes wide open

Not wanting to miss an inch of the never-ending sky,

Entranced by “mere” leaves

Here in late August

The cicadas are humming

Maybe my daughter will learn their song.