Wednesday, April 18, 2007

One of Us


In response to my last blog, the fabulous Aquila questioned if Mary Oliver is “One of Us”. That question in itself opens up all kinds of other questions, ones I’ve been ruminating on, and thankfully, last night those questions were settled. This came due to my great fortune of having tickets to see Mary Oliver in person. She read her poetry for fifty minutes – a time period as a therapist I found amusing – and then she answered questions. Although I wasn’t one of those who raised my hand, she gave me the answers I needed. In essence, all of us are just that - One, and yet, in our infinite variations, Mary Oliver speaks for those of us who worship this green earth above and below anything else.

Years back I was interviewed for the book “Modern Pagans” and asked to give a list of books that I found core to living as a pagan and a witch. It was a short list, and it included most predominately the poetry of Mary Oliver. Her poems resonate with love for the natural world, and always remind me to be thankful. I keep her by my bedside and by my chair in my therapy office. Anyone who sees me for any length of time has probably been read one of her poems at one time or another. And plenty of my clients keep copies of these poems to refer to. “The Summer Day”, “When Death Comes”, “In Blackwater Woods”, and “Wild Geese” - these poems are staples of both my spiritual practice and my practice as a psychotherapist.

In Portland, buying her latest book, “Thirst”, I puzzled at a new thread running thru some of her poems. Mary Oliver recently lost her partner of forty years, Molly Malone Cook. “Thirst” reverberates with this loss, and also documents her seeking comfort in her local church. The poet who reconnects me again and again to the holiness of grass and the splendor of a spider web now has poems which include the word “Lord”.

So I was curious, heading off to the reading, and frankly, a little worried. Would Mary Oliver spout Christian doctrine in a way that I would find alienating? Why the heck couldn’t she have found a circle of witches to work with? There must be some in Provincetown, right? Which poems would she read? The Christian ones? One of the myriad of things I’ve loved about her writing is that the one of us included all of us. Had this changed, was there now a sense that there was only one way of salvation that left many of us behind?

I left elated. The truth is, I still am. She read poems that gave comfort in a time when so many of us are reverberating from the violence that just occurred in Virginia and the bloodbath that is our foreign war. During the question period, a woman as politely as she could asked the famous poet about the new poems of Christian faith, which notably had not been read. From the woman’s tone and the way she phrased her careful words, including “earth-based spirituality” it was clear she held my same fears. The poet told the audience that she went crazy for a year after Molly died, and that although her need for the church she’d found was waning, she had really been impressed with the robes and all the beautiful trappings. Her next book would not be called “Thirst” she said, clearly letting us know that she had taken succor where she found it and was now once again finding the divine in her woods and wild places.

All in all, it comes down to this – the love of this earth and the holding it as sacred and divine. This, and the striving for kindness. If there is line between us and them, this, for me, is it. Mary Oliver’s words root me in awe of this planet and in kindness towards all life. Seeing her last night, I know that she is the woman of her words. I am so grateful.

16 comments:

judy g said...

deborah, once again...you are an incredible writer

Hecate said...

my great fortune of having tickets to see Mary Oliver in person.

I am so jealous.

Aquila ka Hecate said...

All in all, it comes down to this – the love of this earth and the holding it as sacred and divine. This, and the striving for kindness. If there is line between us and them, this, for me, is it.

Yes- this is it for me, too.

I didn't think someone who could write the words she does could be other than One of Us - in more than one way.

Love,
Terri in Joburg

Reya Mellicker said...

Maybe this is a west coast/east coast cultural difference, but I don't share your fear of Christians. I know many observant Christians whose love of the natural world is profound and beautiful. The friends I think of in particular work for the Potomac Conservancy, a wonderful organization that helps protect the mighty river I call my friend. Other friends are part of St. Mark's, an Episcopal church that helps the homeless, teaches people how to garden, and organized a cleanup of the Anacostia River.

Not all Christians are extremists or hateful - honest! Hey - Al Gore is an observant Christian.

That Mary Oliver found healing within a church is a wonderful thing. Why is that so scary?

Reya Mellicker said...

Forgot to ask also, if Mary Oliver is a Christian, how does that exclude her from being "one of you"?

Aquila ka Hecate said...

I don't think it matters whether she calls herself a Christian, a Pagan, or an Atheist, Reya - she's still One of Us.

Her obvious and abundant love for the Mother -by whatever name - qualifies her.

What was it Hecate said? "Doesn't know she's a witch".
Maybe she doesn't, maybe she does.It makes no difference.

Love,
Terri in Joburg

judy g said...

this conversation about christianity reminds me of the american flag...there are so many wonderful things about this country, but so many horrible things have been done in the name of the american flag.....sometimes i wished i lived in a country where people feel pride for their flag, not the desire to burn it....

Anonymous said...

A rose, after all, by any other name...

deborahoak said...

I am not afraid of Christians and not afraid of Mary Oliver being a Christian. I was afraid that she might have taken up the thread of Christianity and it might run thru her poems and words that spins the story that there is only one way of salvation. The problem with Christianity, as I see it, is the believe that those who don't practice it are sinners or less than. This is a big problem for ALL religions - the sense that if you are not One Of Us you are Less than Us. In Paganism and Buddhism this is not part of the theology - but this is intregal to Christianity. Reya...you seem to be not getting the point of my blogs...or reading into them something that is not there. Reading "Thirst" I understood completely seeking comfort in grief. My fear is that Mary Oliver would now be writing Christian poems that others of us would not relate to.

Anonymous said...

I didn't get a fear of anything from you but the fear of an imbalance in viewpoint which seems to prevail in many organized anythings....the adoption of a value system, a taking up of arms that runs to extreme -- often when we are trying to heal...to find ourselves....or to forget or lose ourselves temporarily or forever....the fear that M.O. might have let go of what we "know" of her for something that in fact would alienate us is legitimate since she had begun to use language that was in fact alien to HER past.

Reya Mellicker said...

Gosh. The Christians I'm friends with, mostly Methodists and Episcopalians, (as well as the Jews I'm friends with) - none of them believe there's only one way to salvation.

I think this might be an east coast/west coast thing. I didn't know many Christians when I lived in San Francisco. Maybe that's where the problem in communication is coming from.

deborahoak said...

Living in San Francisco, working as a therapist, and having a son in Catholic school, I know plenty of Christians, most kind and loving...nevertheless, a theology in which there is one way of salvation (and growing up Episcopalian I know this gets said over and over again in church) leaves those of us who don't ascribe to it feeling alienated. I felt this way at the funerals I've been to in the past years in Episcopal churches. The Christians I respect do adopt the "take what you need and leave the rest" attitude and don't push this part of the theology. Nevertheless, it's intregal to the story of Christ. There's one way to heaven...and it is thru taking Jesus Christ as our personal saviour.

Reya Mellicker said...

I'm glad my Christian friends and the churches they attend are different than your experience!

Anonymous said...

You are so fortunate to have heard her read. I love seeing/hearing poets read their work in person. I've been blessed to see Adrienne Rich, Ntozake Shange, Gregory Corso...

The words roll over one, permeating cells.

Anonymous said...

I just came across this post and I'm now in love with Mary Oliver. Could you make a recommendation of where to start? What book would you start with?

Thanks!

Harry

Gunfighter said...

Christianity doesn't require that adherents believe that "all others" are sinners. Indeed, the theology says that all are guilty of sin... believers included.