Snowy Night

Last night, an owl in the blue dark tossed an indeterminate number of carefully shaped sounds into
the world, in which,a quarter of a mile away, I happened
to be standing.
I couldn’t tell which one it was –
the barred or the great-horned ship of the air – it was that distant. But, anyway, aren’t there moments that are better than knowing something,and sweeter?
Snow was falling, so much like stars filling
the dark trees that one could easily imagine
its reason for being was nothing more than prettiness.
I suppose if this were someone else’s story
they would have insisted on knowing whatever is knowable – would have hurried over the fields to name it – the owl, I mean.
But it’s mine, this poem of the night,and I just stood there, listening and holding out my hands to the soft glitter falling through the air.
I love this world,but not for its answers.
And I wish good luck to the owl,
great welcome to the snow,
whatever its severe and comfortless and beautiful meaning.

~ Mary Oliver ~
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