Max’s Musings: Mary Oliver

Where does one find inspiration when they need it the most?

Award-winning poet Mary Oliver is most known for her depictions of rich nature settings chock- full of profound symbolism and tantalizing mystery. The thrill of nature sweeping through the state of Washington and all its residents would be an understatement.

With summer only a couple of months away, I found Oliver’s poem “While I Am Writing a Poem to Celebrate Summer, the Meadowlark Begins to Sing” ideal for discussion this week. From her book Owls and Other Fantasies, published in 2003, Oliver’s collection takes a deep dive into the world of birds and their hidden messages for humankind. The poem is a prime reminder of Oliver’s remarkable skills as a wordsmith and eye for conjuring a secluded snapshot of a nature landscape.

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Sixty-seven years, oh Lord, to look at the clouds,

the trees in deep, moist summer,

daisies and morning glories

opening every morning

 

their small, ecstatic faces—

Or maybe I should just say

 

how I wish I had a voice

like the meadowlark’s,

 

sweet, clear, and reliably

slurring all day long

 

from the fencepost, or the long grass

where it lives  

 

in a tiny but adequate grass hut

beside the mullein and the everlasting,

 

the faint-pink roses

that have never been improved, but come to bud

 

then open like little soft sighs

under the meadowlark’s whistle, its breath-praise,

 

its thrill-song, its anthem, its thanks, its

alleluia. Alleluia, oh Lord.

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Oliver’s poem showcases the journey through time and seasonal transition from spring to summer. Through the changing of the season comes preparation and excitement for what is coming next. Summer is a time for breaking free from typical patterns, traveling, and new world experiences. There is a metaphorical transition taking place as well for the speaker and reader alike.

The speaker, who is in their sixties, takes in the surroundings of the setting they occupy while paying attention to changes both big and small. They notice the sky opening and the flowers budding and fading alike. The speaker then notices the meadowlark singing its enchanting song, mesmerizing and drawing them inward.

So what or whom does the meadowlark represent? Although there is a religious tone throughout the piece, I couldn’t help but find my own interpretation for it. With the speaker never fully meeting or encountering the bird, I can’t help but think of the meadowlark as a symbol for inspiration.

Owls and Other Fantasies by Mary Oliver (hardcover)

The Evergreen Echo

The speaker remains drawn to and intrigued by the meadowlark’s presence and impact it has on its surroundings. They say, “how I wish I had a voice like the meadowlark’s,” while struggling to find their own throughout the course of the poem. The meadowlark’s voice “sweet, clear, and reliably slurring all day long…” brings a wave of peace, reassurance, and understanding for the speaker.

The meadowlark, the epitome and spirit of nature, could also represent nature’s divine mystery and beauty as well as the power and confidence the speaker seems to lack in comparison. There are many fine attributes that the speaker hopes and longs to attain while overlooking the innate qualities they already seem to possess.

If the meadowlark represents inspiration, then what represents the writers and artists who desperately crave it? They are the “faint-pink roses” of the world which are imperfect and flawed. Yet, they open more and more while sharing intimate pieces of themselves daily. The “faint-pink roses” are protected and influenced “under the meadowlark’s whistle, its breath-praise” allowing them to continue to foster their craft under their watchful eye of protection.

I found myself relating to the speaker, constantly trying to expand my surroundings both literally and metaphorically. A “faint-pink rose” is not eternal or impenetrable from the natural disasters it may face but is strong enough to weather the storms that come its way.

The speaker witnesses this renewal of rebirth and resurgence firsthand and cannot help but sing praises of their own. The speaker may not always see the meadowlark or its offering of inspiration, but they can feel its lasting presence linger wherever they choose to roam.

Although it is beneficial to draw inspiration from a variety of different people and places, at the end of the day, you are your own creator and what you choose to create is wholeheartedly and rightfully yours. Embrace the changes and embody the transformations that lie ahead.

What will you accomplish for the first time this summer?