“At the River Clarion” by Mary Oliver

On By Christina's WordsIn Music, Poetry

1.

I don’t know who God is exactly.
But I’ll tell you this.
I was sitting in the river named Clarion, on a water splashed stone
and all afternoon I listened to the voices of the river talking.
Whenever the water struck a stone it had something to say,
and the water itself, and even the mosses trailing under the water.
And slowly, very slowly, it became clear to me what they were saying.
Said the river I am part of holiness.
And I too, said the stone. And I too, whispered the moss beneath the water.

I’d been to the river before, a few times.
Don’t blame the river that nothing happened quickly.
You don’t hear such voices in an hour or a day.
You don’t hear them at all if selfhood has stuffed your ears.
And it’s difficult to hear anything anyway, through all the traffic, the ambition.

2.

If God exists he isn’t just butter and good luck.
He’s also the tick that killed my wonderful dog Luke.
Said the river: imagine everything you can imagine, then keep on going.

Imagine how the lily (who may also be a part of God) would sing to you if it could sing,
if you would pause to hear it.
And how are you so certain anyway that it doesn’t sing?

If God exists he isn’t just churches and mathematics.
He’s the forest, He’s the desert.
He’s the ice caps, that are dying.
He’s the ghetto and the Museum of Fine Arts.

He’s van Gogh and Allen Ginsberg and Robert Motherwell.
He’s the many desperate hands, cleaning and preparing their weapons.
He’s every one of us, potentially.
The leaf of grass, the genius, the politician, the poet.
And if this is true, isn’t it something very important?

Yes, it could be that I am a tiny piece of God, and each of you too, or at least
of his intention and his hope.
Which is a delight beyond measure.
I don’t know how you get to suspect such an idea.
I only know that the river kept singing.
It wasn’t a persuasion, it was all the river’s own constant joy
which was better by far than a lecture, which was comfortable, exciting, unforgettable.

3.

Of course for each of us, there is the daily life.
Let us live it, gesture by gesture.
When we cut the ripe melon, should we not give it thanks?
And should we not thank the knife also?
We do not live in a simple world.

4.

There was someone I loved who grew old and ill
One by one I watched the fires go out.
There was nothing I could do

except to remember
that we receive
then we give back.

5.

My dog Luke lies in a grave in the forest, she is given back.
But the river Clarion still flows from wherever it comes from
to where it has been told to go.
I pray for the desperate earth.
I pray for the desperate world.
I do the little each person can do, it isn’t much.
Sometimes the river murmurs, sometimes it raves.

6.

Along its shores were, may I say, very intense cardinal flowers.
And trees, and birds that have wings to uphold them, for heaven’s sakes–
the lucky ones: they have such deep natures,
they are so happily obedient.
While I sit here in a house filled with books,
ideas, doubts, hesitations.

7.

And still, pressed deep into my mind, the river
keeps coming, touching me, passing by on its
long journey, its pale, infallible voice
singing.

 

 

“At the River Clarion” by Mary Oliver, from Evidence: Poems, Beacon Press.

 

“I pray for the desperate earth. I pray for the desperate world.”

“River” by Leon Bridges

10 thoughts on ““At the River Clarion” by Mary Oliver”

  3. Jean

    What a powerful combination: Mary Oliver and Leon Bridges. Love her voice. Love his voice. So much sadness in the world. This is a soothing antidote. Thanks, Christina.

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      1. I am undone. Spilled and opened. Thank you, Christina, for this pairing. Ohh, heavens, thanks too for introducing me to Leon Bridges. I never knew. I’ve found a new one.

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      2. “I am undone. Spilled and opened” What beautiful and poetic phrasing.

        I’ve always like the phrase “My heart is full.” Yours is almost the opposite. …spilled and opened. Just lovely.

        Leon has been flying just under the radar of mass mainstream. I think he only has one album out? But it’s sooo good. (I love “Smooth Sailing”.) A new album should be coming soon, I think. His voice throws me back to the days of listening to Otis Redding and Sam Cooke on the turntable, family gathered around and laughing, happier days and warmer nights. So glad you got to “discover” him here! ❤️

        Sent from my iPhone

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  4. Jean

    Christy, fun little vignette, if I may! Few years ago I was in Chico at a pool hall/café ordering breakfast. Tried to play Leon Bridges’ “Coming Home” on the huge juke box and could not get it to work – kept eating my quarters. ugh Businessmen come in seeing my struggle and say “what’s wrong?” I said, “I’m a technophobe and can’t get a song to play; that’s ok.” He said “what song?” “Oh, this new pop song by Leon Bridges ‘Coming Home’; it’s really great.” He took out some money and played it I don’t know 5 or 6 times! I’m not kidding! Before leaving I went over to his table and said “my gosh, Thank You!” to which he smilingly replied “my business is doing really well and I can afford it! That’s ok. Glad you liked it!” Wow! Fun moment in time! haha

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    1. Of course you may, Jean!

      Can I just say I love that you were having breakfast in a pool hall! I’m sure that you and I would be great friends in real life 🙂 What a cool story!

      My mom would take me with her when she went to shoot pool (the jukebox made a cheap babysitter). They always knew when we arrived because Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” would play on repeat, lol. I’m sure it drove some guys crazy, but my mom was pretty so they happily put up with me 🙂

      Sent from my iPhone

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  5. Jean

    Christy ( & Christy’s follower ) !
    Well tiny follow-up here; teensy bit off topic! Today, 4/22 heard a new Leon Bridges song on the radio! “Beyond” – I think it’s available for listening online, with cd coming out in May. Just had to report! ❤

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