sunday bear: mary oliver from New Poems (1991-1992)

April 22, 2012October 2, 2017 ~ jama ~ 13 Comments

*“Hilda” by Barbara Ferrier (cream mohair, hand knitted sweater, hand stitched pink nose, gold locket, 1992)*

Spring Azures
by Mary Oliver

In spring the blue azures bow down
at the edges of shallow puddles
to drink the black rain water.
Then they rise and float away into the fields.

Sometimes the great bones of my life feel so heavy,
and all the tricks my body knows —
the opposable thumbs, the kneecaps,
and the mind clicking and clicking —

don’t seem enough to carry me through the world
and I think how I would like

to have wings —
blue ones —
ribbons of flame.

How I would like to open them, and rise
from the black rain water.

And then I think of Blake, in the dirt and sweat of London — a boy
staring through the window, when God came
fluttering up.

Of course, he screamed,
seeing the bobbin of God’s blue body
leaning on the sill,
and the thousand-faceted eyes.

Well, who knows.
Who knows what hung, fluttering, at the window
between him and the darkness.

Anyway, Blake the hosier’s son stood up
and turned away from the sooty sill and the dark city —
turned away forever
from the factories, the personal strivings,

to a life of the imagination.

Copyright © 1992 Mary Oliver (New and Selected Poems, published by Beacon Press). All rights reserved.

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LAST WEEK’S DOOR PRIZE WINNERS

The President’s Stuck in the Bathtub by Susan Katz and Robert Neubecker: Linda Baie from Teacher Dance

UnBEElievables by Douglas Florian: Tabatha Yeatts from The Opposite of Indifference

CONGRATULATIONS LINDA AND TABATHA! Please send me your snail mail address so I can get your books out to you: readermail (at) jamakimrattigan (dot) com.

Thanks for all your wonderful comments, Everyone!

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Week of April 23 – 30, 2012

Guest Poets:

April 23: Doraine Bennett
April 24: Janet Wong
April 25: Jill Corcoran
April 26: Kay Pluta
April 27: Heidi Bee Roemer
April 30: Lee Wardlaw

Door Prizes:

The Declaration of Interdependence by Janet Wong (Poetry Suitcase, 2012)
Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw and Eugene Yelchin (Henry Holt, 2011)
A Stick is an Excellent Thing by Marilyn Singer and LeUyen Pham (Clarion Books, 2012) – Previously unannounced surprise door prize!

**Comment on any post (April 23-28) to be eligible to win!

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♥ Today’s Sunday Bear Hug is brought to you by Cornelius Oliver, who has renamed himself after his favorite poet. He requests that everyone wear blue today in Mary’s honor.

(((MARY)))(((MARY)))(((MARY))))(((MARY))))

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sunday bear: mary oliver from New and Selected Poems (1992)

April 15, 2012October 2, 2017 ~ jama ~ 14 Comments

*“Buster and Betty Sue” by Barbara McConnell (yellow mohair, matching outfits, gold heart studs, 1987)*

The Sun
by Mary Oliver

Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful

than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon

and into the clouds or the hills,
or the rumpled sea,
and is gone —
and how it slides again

out of the blackness,
every morning,
on the other side of the world,
like a red flower

streaming upward on its heavenly oils,
say, on a morning in early summer,
at its perfect imperial distance —
and have you ever felt for anything

such wild love —
do you think there is anywhere, in any language,
a word billowing enough
for the pleasure

that fills you,
as the sun
reaches out,
as it warms you

as you stand there,
empty-handed —
or have you too
turned from this world —

or have you too
gone crazy
for power,
for things?

© 1992 Mary Oliver (New and Selected Poems, Beacon Press). All rights reserved.

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♥ Last Week’s Door Prize Winners ♥

Water Sings Blue by Kate Coombs and Meilo So: Irene Latham from Live Your Poem

Guacamole by Jorge Argueta and Margarita Sada: Michelle from Peaceful Reader

My Father’s House by Kathi Appelt and Raul Colon: Cathy from Merely Day by Day

Congratulations, Irene, Michelle and Cathy!
Please send me your snail mail address: readermail (at) jamakimrattigan (dot) com.

Thanks for all your great comments, everyone!

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Week of April 16-21, 2012

Guest Poets:

April 16: Linda Baie
April 17: Lesa Medley
April 18: Leslie Muir
April 19: Margarita Engle
April 20: Sondra Gash

Door Prizes:

The President’s Stuck in the Bathtub by Susan Katz and Robert Neubecker (Clarion, 2012)
unBEElievables by Douglas Florian (Beach Lane Books, 2012) ♥ Previously unannounced, surprise prize ♥

*Comment on any post during the week to be eligible to win!

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♥ Today’s Sunday Bear Hug is brought to you by Mr. Cornelius, who is seriously considering moving to the Lake District to become a Romantic poet.

((((((((HUGS))))))))))((((HUG))))((((((HUGS))))))))

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sunday bunny: mary oliver from Evidence

April 8, 2012October 2, 2017 ~ jama ~ 11 Comments

*“Bordeaux” by Hillary Hulen (clown bunny, dyed mohair, white lace collar, bell buttons, pink rosebud accents, 1988)*

With Thanks to the Field Sparrow, Whose Voice Is So Delicate and Humble

I do not live happily or comfortably
with the cleverness of our times.
The talk is all about computers,
the news is all about bombs and blood.
This morning, in the fresh field,
I came upon a hidden nest.
It held four warm, speckled eggs.
I touched them.
Then went away softly,
having felt something more wonderful
than all the electricity of New York City.

~ Mary Oliver (Evidence, Beacon Press, 2009)

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♥ Last Week’s Door Prize Winners ♥

Bookspeak by Laura Purdie Salas and Josée Bisaillon: the winner is Anna J. Boll!
Hidden by Helen Frost: The winner is Robyn Hood Black!

Congratulations, Anna and Robyn! Please send me your snail mail address: readermail (at) jamakimrattigan (dot) com.

**Thanks to everyone for commenting last week!

Week of April 9 – 14, 2012

Guest Poets:

April 9: Martha Calderaro
April 10: Kathi Appelt
April 11: Robyn Hood Black
April 12: Charles Waters
April 13: Adele Kenny

Door Prizes:

Water Sings Blue by Kate Coombs and Meilo So (Chronicle Books, 2012)
Guacamole by Jorge Argueta and Margarita Sada (Groundwood Books, 2012)

**Comment on any post during the week to be eligible to win!

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♥ This week’s Sunday Bunnyish Bear Hug is brought to you by Mr. Cornelius, who wishes you a very Happy Easter and a hundred jelly beans!

((NOSE WIGGLE))((HUG))((WHISKER TWITCH))

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sunday bear: mary oliver from The Leaf and the Cloud

April 1, 2012October 2, 2017 ~ jama ~ 18 Comments

*“Isabella,” by Marcia Sibol (golden mohair, vintage lace dress, antique cameo, pearl earrings, straw bonnet, 1991)*

From The Book of Time

1.

I rose this morning early as usual, and went to my desk.
But it’s spring,

and the thrush is in the woods,
somewhere in the twirled branches, and he is singing.

And so, now, I am standing by the open door.
And now I am stepping down onto the grass.

I am touching a few leaves.
I am noticing the way the yellow butterflies
move together, in a twinkling cloud, over the field.

And I am thinking: maybe just looking and listening
is the real work.

Maybe the world, without us,
is the real poem.

~ Mary Oliver (The Leaf and The Cloud, De Capo Press, 2000)

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Week of April 2 – 7, 2012

Guest Poets:

April 2: April Pulley Sayre
April 3: Mary Quattlebaum
April 4: Helen Frost
April 5: Linda Ashman
April 6: Gail Gerwin

Door Prizes:

BookSpeak by Laura Purdie Salas and Josée Bisaillon (Clarion, 2011)
Hidden by Helen Frost (FSG, 2011)

**Comment on any post during the week to be eligible to win!

Click here for complete Potluck Menu/Guest List and Giveaway info.

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♥ This week’s Sunday Bear Hug is brought to you by Mr. Cornelius, who is, at this very moment, eating a chocolate bunny. Please do not tell anyone.

((((((((((((((((((((((((HUG)))))))))))))))))))))))

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sunday bear: john lennon

March 25, 2012October 2, 2017 ~ jama ~ 4 Comments

*“Crackers, Yeoman 2nd Class,” by Denise Dewire (German distressed mohair, blue chambray sailor suit, tea-stained cap, 1988).*

As a kid I had a dream – I wanted to own my own bicycle. When I got the bike I must have been the happiest boy in Liverpool, maybe the world. I lived for that bike. Most kids left their bike in the backyard at night. Not me. I insisted on taking mine indoors and the first night I even kept it in my bed. ~ John Lennon

♥ Today’s Sunday Bear Hug is brought to you by Mr. Cornelius, whose favorite Lennon song is “Imagine.” He also thinks you’d make a mighty fine Honey Pie. Rattle your jewelry, clink your teacups and have a smashing day!

(((((HUGS))))))HONEY PIE((((((HUGS))))))

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