Status Updates From Thirst: Poems by Mary Olive...

truly the only thing that soothes me when i‘m in a depressive funk is her voice

Every morning I want to kneel down on the golden
cloth of the sand and say
some kind of musical thanks for
the world that is happening again--another day--
from the shawl of wind coming out of the
west to the firm green
flesh of the melon lately sliced. . . I want
to be worthy of--what? Glory? Yes, unimaginable glory.
O Lord of melons, of mercy, though I am
not ready, nor worthy, I am climbing toward you.

Am I lonely?
The beautiful, striped sparrow,
serenely, on the tallest weed in his kingdom
also sings without words.

I want
to see Jesus,
maybe in the clouds

or on the shore,
just walking,
beautiful man

and clearly
someone else
besides.

On the hard days
I ask myself
if I ever will.

Also there are times
my body whispers to me
that I have.

How to keep warm
is always a problem,
isn't it?
Of course, there's love
And there's prayer.

"Listen,
the heart-shackles are not, as you think,
death, illness, pain,
unrequited hope, not loneliness, but

lassitude, rue, vainglory, fear, anxiety,
selfishness."