September 27: "Poem," Spirit, Aubri

Mary Oliver gets into the spirit of things . . . 

Poem

by:  Mary Oliver

The spirit

     likes to dress up like this:

          ten fingers,

               ten toes,

shoulders, and all the rest

     at night

          in the black branches,

               in the morning

in the blue branches

     of the world.

          It could float, of course,

               but would rather

plumb rough matter.

     Airy and shapeless thing,

           it needs

               the metaphor of the body,

lime and appetite,

     the oceanic fluids;

          it needs the body's world,

               instinct

and imagination

     and the dark hug of time,

          sweetness

               and tangibility,

to be understood,

     to be more than pure light

          that burns

               where no one is--

so it enters us--

     in the morning

          shines from brute comfort

               like a stitch of lightning;

and at night

     lights up the deep and wondrous

          drownings of the body

              like a star.

Tonight, Mary Oliver writes about the spirit in her poem "Poem."  The spirit that shines like a stitch of lightning.  That enters the body and lights it up like a star at night.  We can't touch the spirit, or see its airy and shapeless form, until it's clothed in the brute comfort of flesh and breath.  Yet, it is always there.

Tonight, I am writing about the spirit, as well.  Everyone knows a person whose spirit is so bright it can't be completely contained in a body.  A person who lights up the air like a swarm of fireflies.  I've had the privilege of having a few people like this in my life--individuals who've made my journey better just by being in it.  Because of their kindness and humor and compassion.

My niece, Aubri, celebrated her golden birthday today--27 on the 27th.  On more than one occasion in the past, she has reached out to me when I've been struggling with darkness, just to let me know that I'm loved and important to her.  In the deepest wells of my life, she has shared her light and laughter with me, and, in doing so, she's reminded me to look up and see the sun and stars.

So, even though an ocean separates us this evening, I want to send her joy and peace, to let her know that her spirit is a lighthouse to me.  A beacon that makes me smile, fills me with hope.  Because after a long night, the dawn comes with laughter and beauty.  Everyone needs an Aubri in their lives.

On her golden day, Saint Marty wishes his niece all the blessings the universe has to offer.