the dance of fully living….

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It’s coming on a shaking loose the stiff of shoulders tight with cold
and the wide outstretching of a thin ice sky,
the sweeping and springing up fronds of things greening,
unfurling,
un-dying,
uncurling into life

And I want to come unwrapped
to feel the sun on skin still pale,
to be lifted free of weary things,
go wide awake and fearlessly
stride right into the turn of earth as wildly she goes spinning,
boldly dipped and twirled into the dance of fully living

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I want to be scooped up
like a bird on currents gliding,
to ride the waves with bold abandon
instead of hiding
or numbing
or just not dying

as I sense the season greening,
turning slow into the springing
all this rolling,  warming,  peeping
my heart bellows to parts still sleeping
how I want to really live
while I’m alive.

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“When it’s all over,  I don’t want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular,  and real.
I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.
I don’t want to end up having simply visited this world.”
-Mary Oliver

I so wish I could read this out loud to you…..could work the tech support necessary.
It’s meant for the hearing,  not the reading.
I will learn this skill,  I will.

23 Comments

  1. Elephant's Child on March 1, 2015 at 8:56 pm

    Love those daffodills – and your dancing heart and mind.

    • Jennifer Richardson on March 5, 2015 at 9:05 am

      Thank you friend!
      I’m especially hungry for daffodils this year.
      Much joy to you,
      Jennifer

  2. Jane on March 2, 2015 at 5:59 am

    Thank you for this dollop of longing for springtime living and loving!

    • Jennifer Richardson on March 5, 2015 at 12:15 pm

      dollop:) I love the way you think:)
      thanks for coming by and being here,
      Jennifer

  3. Lady Fi on March 2, 2015 at 10:33 am

    Oh, how I love Mary Oliver! Great shots of the daffodils too.

    • Jennifer Richardson on March 5, 2015 at 12:17 pm

      Thanks friend….hope they’re blooming
      recklessly soon!
      -Jennifer

  4. Julia on March 2, 2015 at 12:54 pm

    The snow is still dominating our landscape but my heart knows that Spring isn’t far away and your lovely flowers are a real treat for my eyes.
    I love how your words dance on a feeling of anticipation for things to start poking and unfurling, and burst forth with color.
    Welcome March.
    Hugs,
    JB

    • Jennifer Richardson on March 5, 2015 at 12:18 pm

      It’s a back and forth thing here.
      Still snow and cold. Next day up in the 70s.
      Then ice and cold wind. Just a roller coaster.
      But the daffodils they come:)
      -Jennifer

  5. CherryPie on March 2, 2015 at 4:52 pm

    Beautiful Vision and Verb 🙂

  6. susan on March 2, 2015 at 5:28 pm

    You have a marvelous way of giving me things I need to read when I need to read them. Today, I have put “to be lifted free of weary things” on my notepad of things that will help me write my book. Thank you Jennifer.

    • Jennifer Richardson on March 5, 2015 at 12:21 pm

      So glad, Susan….I love that idea of the notepad list.
      Makes me realize how I miss my lists.
      Thanks,
      Jennifer

  7. jeanie on March 3, 2015 at 12:04 pm

    What a joyful lift your bright daffs and happy words give me on this gray day with its “wintry mix” of sleet, snow and rain. I know this comes before the spring, before the daylight savings begins, but I am ready to see the daffs in my yard, too! Till then, I’ll savor yours! Merci!

    • Jennifer Richardson on March 5, 2015 at 12:22 pm

      I’m tired of winter’s mix. All the mix. The mix we have here is winter
      one day and early Spring the next. Back and forth. Such an unclear thing
      when seasons begin and end.
      Thanks for coming by and savoring the daffodilia:)
      -Jennifer

  8. gotham girl on March 6, 2015 at 6:54 am

    I’m a lover of Mary Oliver too and this sentence just takes my breath away…”I don’t want to end up having simply visited this world.” Thank you…and also thanks for such bright spring reminders that it’s on the way!

  9. Kimber Britner on March 7, 2015 at 3:24 pm

    Yes, I so want “to be lifted free of weary things” in my body, to ride that wave into springtime.Yes and thank you!

    • Jennifer Richardson on March 7, 2015 at 6:40 pm

      I’m pulling for you sooooo hard to get that rest and recover
      that your body and soul need
      after so much jolt and jarring.
      Much love and gentleness to you,
      Jennifer

  10. Susan on March 7, 2015 at 3:25 pm

    Thanks for all this … i would love to hear your voice reading as we swayed all comfy, curled and relaxed in a hammock under trees swishing in the breeze and the lovely scent of your blooms in the air. Can you tell I am seriously jonesing for Spring?

    • Jennifer Richardson on March 7, 2015 at 6:39 pm

      oh how awesome would that be, to just have a sunny,
      breezy gathering and share our words out loud:)
      I love that idea…..I’m rooting for you sooooo hard
      to get some warming soon!
      -Jennifer

  11. Zena Toledo on March 7, 2015 at 3:47 pm

    Such a beautiful post, both images and text are wonderful, this sentence in particular, “how I want to really live, while I am alive” spoke to my soul today…

    • Jennifer Richardson on March 7, 2015 at 6:38 pm

      hey Zena…..so glad you dropped by:)
      I appreciate your encouraging words and,
      yeah, I second that emotion!
      -Jennifer

  12. Donna on March 7, 2015 at 7:29 pm

    I am yearning for the spring warmth….to begin to soar again in the sun, amongst my garden….your lovely words bring me needed warmth. Much love to you!

    • Jennifer Richardson on March 8, 2015 at 8:56 am

      yearning here, too, Donna….such a rollercoaster ride.
      Wanting to cultivate the blossoms down inside
      because they’re quite frost damaged in my yard:/
      love and joy to you as we wait,
      Jennifer

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