41 Comments
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Yumna Mahmood's avatar

I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.

Neither do I!!

Beautifully versed!!

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Dian Parker's avatar

I am a bride married to amazement - yes - amazement instead of criticism and victimization.

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Marcus Malesela's avatar

Do not wait until tomorrow to face death confront it today by letting go of everything you have ever known. Then, you will no longer fear the shadow of death. You will realize that life and death are intertwined; the end is only the beginning. In this state, the mind transcends time while fear and thoughts give birth to it.

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Poetic Outlaws's avatar

Indeed. I'm reminded of the words of Heidegger: "If I take death into my life, acknowledge it, and face it squarely, I will free myself from the anxiety of death and the pettiness of life - and only then will I be free to become myself."

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Jamie Millard's avatar

“I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.”- goosebumps! A soul challenge 🙏❤️

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Daniel Henderson's avatar

As other have said the closing line is very good. There is more to life than taking up space in the world. The imagery of how death comes, in the beginning of the poem, was very visceral and powerful, got me hooked.

"each body a lion of courage"

very clever and powerful! Well done.

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Caro Henry's avatar

Thank you for this. It's one of my favorite Mary Oliver poems.

I am here, now, doing what I love to do

Writing about all the existential bits

The jetsam, flotsam, and all the rest

Because ‘I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.’

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Dave Karpowicz's avatar

Love Mary Oliver D

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Lisa B. Martin    zihuawriter's avatar

Mary knows. Step out!

Go where your life calls you!

Run to it.

A perfect reading for me, today.

I awoke knowing I must live and write in ZIHUATANEJO, Mexico...and BE there! Only I can choose this path for me.

@zihuawriter on instagram

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Maha's avatar

At 82 years, death is indeed staring me in the face. Having just returned from two-weeks in the Caribbean, one on a Jazz Cruise, listening to jazz icons for a magical week, I'm staring right back!

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Judy Ertl's avatar

What a beautiful way to look at dying! Thank you for publishing this.

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Jonathan's avatar

What an amazing piece of writing. Thank you for sharing this.

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Jo Sundberg's avatar

"I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world."

Perfectly echos my heart and soul. Beautiful.

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Malcolm J McKinney's avatar

No visits in this world are ever simple.

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Alix's avatar

Damn that is good. Felt like I was reading this poem for the first time. So fitting for what I have been kneading and wondering of lately. Damn Mary, you rocked and you still do, and always will.

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Josh Dean's avatar

"I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world."

Do things that let you tell good stories.

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Papadas's avatar

wonderful!… there are many useful mantras within this poem…

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