Poetry Friday: I Worried...

I am a worrier. I worry about EVERYTHING! I'm always planning ahead— always trying to control the outcome. Even when life is going well, I find something to worry about. It's not an easy way to live!Last week, I read a Mary Oliver poem that really spoke to me (many of her poems do that, but this one even more so). I hope that someday I'll learn to follow the wisdom she shares at the end of this poem.

I Worried

by Mary Oliver

I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers

flow in the right direction, will the earth turn

as it was taught, and if not how shall

I correct it?

Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,

can I do better?

Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows

can do it and I am, well,
hopeless.

You can read the rest of the poem and a few other from the collection here.

Poetry Lessons

I am a big fan of Mary Oliver's poetry. I learn so much from her poems. 

Praying

It doesn't have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try
to make them elaborate, this isn't
a contest but the doorway

-Mary Oliver

I especially love the lines "pay attention, then patch/a few words together and don't try/to make them elaborate..." because it reminds me to keep it simple and just get what I want to say down on paper.  I tend to over-analyze things and make them more complicated than they are. That kind of thinking keeps me stuck not only in my writing, but also in teaching and in other areas of my life.

I also like the lines "this isn't/a contest but the doorway..." I'm not seeking fame or forunte with my writing. For me, writing is a doorway to learn about myself, keep memories alive, and connect with others. 

I jotted this list of  lessons poetry has taught me so far.
What I've Learned From Poetry

Be still.
Look, listen, feel.
Pay attention.
Say what you mean.
Speak from your heart.
Wait for the words.
Believe they will come.
Thank them when they do.
Tell your truth.
Take risks.
Make mistakes.
Learn from them.
Embrace your voice.
Embrace others.
Work hard.
But most importantly—
Celebrate the joy!

-Linda Kulp

So what has poetry taught you?  Leave me a comment and share your own poetry lessons.

I never know how much of a poem I can print without interfering with copyright,  so you can read the last lines of Mary Oliver's lovely poem here.

Ready for more Slices of Life? You can find a plateful here.
Then head on over to Dori Reads for Poetry Friday.

Happy Friday!