We began this seminar with Mary Oliver's poem "Messanger," for the simple reason that as musicians we should be astonished every day by something (music or not). We can make that our "work," too. The joy and challenge is in sharing that amazement with others. In this case (that is, the seminar) we'll do that through words. "Word as needle." Penetrating, playful, precise, musical words. The music leading us to words, the words leading us back to music. Find words. Share them. Be grateful.
Messenger
My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird —
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.
Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,
which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all ingredients are here,
which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.
Mary Oliver
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