Goldfinches by Mary Oliver
Some goldfinches were having a melodious argument at the edge of a puddle. The birds wanted to bathe, or perhaps just to dip their heads and look at themselves, and they were having trouble with who should be first, and so on. So they discussed it while I stood in the distance, listening. Perhaps in Tibet, in the old holy places, they also have such fragile bells. Or are these birds really just that, bells come to us--come to this road in America--let us bow our heads and remember now how we used to do it, say a prayer. Meanwhile the birds bathe and splash and have a good time. Then they fly off, their dark wings opening from their bright, yellow bodies; their tiny feet, all washed, clasping the air.
I am excited that I will be in Bend, Oregon, for a Joan Baez concert Sunday evening. It will be 40-years-and-one-day to the day since her performance at Woodstock. I hope she notes the occasion.....
ReplyDeleteAm sorry I never had a chance to see Joni Mitchell live.
Ahhh.. the envy!.... I always feel so cheated that I was born too late to have experienced these times (the 60's)... my generation had nothing to fight for, nothing to discover or be awed by......
ReplyDeleteLove Joni!
ReplyDeleteNotably, Joni Mitchell didn't actually go to Woodstock. Great to see this clip from what looks like another fun and much smaller festival at Big Sur, though...unfortunately, it's not available in its entirety on DVD, which is yet another reason to be grateful for youtube...
ReplyDeletegreat stuff, there really wasn't anyone like joni, before and after. her music is timeless, jc
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