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Mysteries of The Earth
WHEN I AM AMONG THE TREES
by Mary Oliver
When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
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And just as importantly, Seeing women with our open Heart, not as property of the privileged male class, as in the old days just cattle, commodity or because your religion fears the power of the Feminine to directly experience God, which threatens its hold on power, to oppress women as you like, but as they…
