pondering Praying with Mary Oliver

I spent yesterday on a "silent retreat". It was - to be cliche - heavenly.  I read a lot of Mary Oliver ... I wrote a lot of poetry myself, as well.  I'm so grateful to the dear lady who opened her farm and home to a handful of us.

My first inclination was to copy and paste every Mary Oliver poem that spoke to me yesterday - I'm that enamored with her - but that would be foolish.  So I will practice restraint, and share one.  Expect to see more.  You may even see some of mine, if I am brave.  Compared to hers, well ... it's a start.  I find this new voice works well for the types of things I want to say, but I need more practice.

And more days on silent retreat. :)

Praying

It doesn't have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try
to make them elaborate, this isn't
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

~ Mary Oliver ~