‘The Lark’ – by Mary Oliver
And I have seen,
at dawn,
the lark
spin out of the long grass
and into the pink air —
its wings,
which are neither wide
nor overstrong,
fluttering —
the pectorals
ploughing and flashing
for nothing but altitude —
and the song
bursting
all the while
from the red throat.
And then he descends,
and is sorry.
His little head hangs
and he pants for breath
for a few moments
among the hoops of the grass,
which are crisp and dry,
where most of his living is done —
and then something summons him again
and up he goes,
his shoulders working,
his whole body almost collapsing and floating
to the edges of the world.
We are reconciled, I think,
to too much.
Better to be a bird, like this one —
an ornament of the eternal.
As he came down once, to the nest of the grass,
“Squander the day, but save the soul,”
I heard him say.
— from What Do We Know: Poems and Prose Poems, by Mary Oliver
SOURCE: http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2016/01/27/mary-oliver-the-lark-2/#comment-791422
Author: Roger - Dr Roger Prentice
Now I write, teach and coach mainly self-understanding. At advanced levels About 21stC 'interfaith as inter-spirituality' - and how we can grow closer to our True Self.
In the past I :
.
1) I ran courses and give talks at conferences and in universities and colleges in the UK, China, USA, Canada, Scandinavia etc.
.
2) I provided materials, outlines and lessons for Schools.
.
3) My range of interests include personal development, learning and teaching, photography and film, the arts generally, spirituality and educational practice and theory.
.
4) At the same time I continue developing the human-centred studies SunWALK PDS (People Development System) - a whole-person, high-achievement model for individuals, and for use in, NGOs, schools and other organizations.
.
5) The key question that continues to animate me and my work remains, "What is it to be fully and positively human?"
.
Contact me via onesummit AT gmail DOT com (replace At with@ etc.).
.
All good wishes
Roger (Dr Roger Prentice)
.
For those interested;
My first degree is in English and Education.
My masters is in Adult and Community Education.
My doctorate presented a new holistic meta-model of education called SunWALK.
View all posts by Roger - Dr Roger Prentice