Mary Oliver (1935–2019)
Praying
It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.
Mary Oliver (1935–2019) was an American poet who won numerous prizes including the National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize for poetry. This poem is from her book Thirst (Beacon, 2007).
Selected by Amy Frykholm: amy@journeywithjesus.net
