Blue Iris

Glorious afternoon strolling round West Dean gardens. Blue iris by the pergola, looking up to a glimpse of the south downs. Fab.

This poem strikes a  chord as I get older. Mary Oliver often seems to speak for me.


Now that I'm free to be myself, who am I?
Can't fly, can't run and see how slowly I walk.
Well, I think, I can read books.
"What's that you're doing?"
the green-headed fly shouts as it buzzes past.
I close the book.
Well, I can write down words, like these, softly.
"What's that you're doing?" whispers the wind, pausing
in a heap just outside the window.
Give me a little time, I say back to its staring, silver face.
It doesn't happen all of a sudden, you know.
"Doesn't it?" says the wind, and breaks open, releasing
distillation of blue iris.
And my heart panics not to be, as I long to be,
the empty, waiting, pure, speechless receptacle.

Mary Oliver
from her book of poems Blue Iris