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Today, on November 20th, 2009, the site contains 196 poets, 8,692 poems and 7,650 comments.
Mary Oliver - Sleeping In The Forest

I thought the earth remembered me,
she took me back so tenderly,
arranging her dark skirts, her pockets
full of lichens and seeds.
I slept as never before, a stone on the river bed,
nothing between me and the white fire of the stars
but my thoughts, and they floated light as moths
among the branches of the perfect trees.
All night I heard the small kingdoms
breathing around me, the insects,
and the birds who do their work in the darkness.
All night I rose and fell, as if in water,
grappling with a luminous doom. By morning
I had vanished at least a dozen times
into something better.

Added: on October 4th, 2005 at 11:23 AM | Viewed: 9410 times | Comments (5)


Sleeping In The Forest - Comments and Information

Poet: Mary Oliver
Poem: Sleeping In The Forest

Poem of the Day on:
Mar 22 2006

Comment 5 of 5, added on December 1st, 2008 at 11:37 PM.

I need to know from which of her poetry books this poem is taken. Would much appreciate your help. Thank you. NS

Norma Smith from United States
Comment 4 of 5, added on April 17th, 2007 at 12:07 AM.

This was my introduction to Mary's poems, and I've since collected all of her books. Some poems, as this one, continue to conjure up beautiful pictures in my mind with each reading... of what is "real" and what is deeply mysterious. I love "Pink Moon, the Pond", as it also leaps back and forth between conscious awareness to dream.

Joyce Bonner from United States
Comment 3 of 5, added on October 4th, 2005 at 11:23 AM.

This poem is excellent. It is a very Romantic poem. With certain elements of Transcendentalism in it. It's great!

Shireen Mayjar from New Zealand

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