another voice
photography: hannah | honey and jam
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.
“Praying” from Thirst: Poems by Mary Oliver
And for me, the voice is His. And I strain harder. Press in closer. Most often, He comes by way of a whisper.
So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD ” And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:11-13
I just love Mary Oliver. She has such a great way of connecting God to the everyday.
Very familiar with the whisper especially when I get a little too distracted by things that are out of my control or not in line with my highest good or anyone elses . I love how this verse ends and imagine that God must be yelling this to me often and I only hear it sometimes as the faintest whisper.
I posted that same poem a few weeks ago myself.
I love Mary Oliver. God was in the sound of a gentle blowing, beautiful.
Very nice post. Simple and profound, you have a gift.
Gina, this is so beautiful. I love Oliver so, but had somehow missed this one. Thank you for bringing it to my eyes.