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Monday, March 19, 2007

Precious Peonies

For Andi....
Peonies
~ Mary Oliver

This morning the green fists of the peonies
are getting ready to break my heart
as the sun rises, as the sun strokes them with his old, buttery fingers and they open ---pools of lace, white and pink ---
and all day the black ants climb over them, boring their deep and mysterious holesinto the curls, craving the sweet sap, taking it awayto their dark, underground cities ---and all day
under the shifty wind, as in a dance to the great wedding, the flowers bend their bright bodies, and tip their fragrance to the air, and rise, their red stems holding
all that dampness and recklessness gladly
and lightly, and there it is again --- beauty the brave, the exemplary, blazing open. Do you love this world?
Do you cherish your humble and silky life?
Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath?
Do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into
the garden, and softly, and exclaiming of their dearness, fill your arms with the white and pink flowers, with their
honeyed heaviness, their lush trembling, their eagerness
to be wild and perfect for a moment, before they are nothing, forever?

8 comments:

Sheila said...

Lovely post. I have two good sized peony plants in my garden.
Yes !! I have been known to go half dressed and barefoot into the garden, walking on grass wet with dew. The best part of the day, in summer of course. I like to wander around and 'take stock' while drinking my first mug of tea for the day..!

Sue Seibert said...

Those peonies are so beautiful. And I always go barefoot...almost everywhere.

Cheryl Wray said...

Oh my goodness--what BEAUTIFUL flowers and photos!!!!

Missy Glave said...

These are so lovely!!!

Okay ... what is the correct pronunciation for peonies?

Is it the Martha Stewart:
Pee-Ah-Knees

or:
Pee-Own-Ees?

jafabrit said...

These are so beautiful I just want to melt. Ah the early morn and the sound of bees, and the touch of sun on your cheek. Oh how I am so ready for that.

lovely photographs.

Anonymous said...

You find the most beautiful words, happy Monday my friend.

Anonymous said...

How beautiful! Thank you for this lovely post.

Anonymous said...

What lovely flowers!
Now you are really gonna makeme look bad on my Friday Flower Fix! :-)


Thanks for sharing.