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13-JUL-2015 Christine Hanrahan

The Summer Day

Another poem by the wonderful American Pulitzer prize-winning poet, Mary Oliver:

The Summer Day

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?


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LynnH20-Jun-2017 16:01
I love the verse today. V
Ton T.18-Jun-2017 21:18
Awesome! V
Johnny JAG17-Jun-2017 20:40
Great shot and poem
Chris17-Jun-2017 06:17
The poem is awesome and very thought provoking.
Your image is wonderful!
Graeme16-Jun-2017 18:43
Superb closeup, Christine.BV!!
Jeff Real16-Jun-2017 17:08
This is an unforgettable photograph ~V~
Buz Kiefer16-Jun-2017 17:08
Absolutely lovely photo; great detail and clarity. Enjoyed the poem a lot too. BV
Patrick Goossens16-Jun-2017 16:28
Marvelous Christine!
Ika Zinka Eferl16-Jun-2017 16:11
WOW, lovely image! V
globalgadabout16-Jun-2017 13:17
image verse seem made for each other...the photo is remarkable..
Stephanie16-Jun-2017 12:43
What a charming and adorable summer image! V
Helen Betts16-Jun-2017 12:30
What a sharp capture in a lovely setting, and perfect poem to accompany it, too. V.
Yvonne16-Jun-2017 11:29
Fabulous image, reminds me of a series called "Minuscule - The Private life of Insects"
Great words too.. v
Torben Jorgensen16-Jun-2017 08:28
Fantastic shot and a great looking grasshopper. V
Juliette16-Jun-2017 08:08
wonderful shot ! the most essential question
laine16-Jun-2017 03:36
What a lovely poem and how perfectly matching this pretty little guy.
Nirvan Hope16-Jun-2017 03:11
Fabulous shot. Fabulous poem. I have the last two lines above my kitchen stove.
Jim Coffman16-Jun-2017 03:09
Splendid capture of nature...
Dennis Hoyne16-Jun-2017 02:21
A beautiful image and a lovely poem that makes one think. V.
jeanb16-Jun-2017 01:22
Oh my goodness, this is fabulous. Such an appropriate poem to accompany it too.
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