What We Need Is Here

If you haven’t done so already, do a YouTube search for the choral composition of this poem, Here, by Joan Szymko. I had the privilege of singing this piece under her direction with Aurora Chorus in 2019. This is a lush and moving piece of music.

almost always do a read again of poetry. special grab is the ''real'' of the last line. What we need is here.. Ahhhh

Hello awakin.org administrator, Your posts are always well presented.

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This is not the poem called "What we Need is Here"
"Wild Geese" is a Mary Oliver poem. Please correct

Agree with poem starting with "...Geese appear" & printing all words. For refelection the following: Developing a mindful awakeness in every moment. It is a "knowing trust", but it is honed and developed over time and through experience.. It is unlearning old habits that can "steal our inner peace" Like the perssimon seed that holds the promise of a tree... Noticing it and letting the thought flow to other elements and back to geese on high whose ancient faith takes them to familiar places each year in their migratory flight. We can rest in "abandon as in sleep"... That what we need is here... If we awake to each moment and respond to it and one another, rather than to simply quickly react. Reaction (if merely done fast) can take important lessons from us, rather than teach us deeper, yet known ways... Again, what we need is here... I am still battling with "being fully present each moment". Whem I am, it brings immence peace and in... [View Full Comment] Agree with poem starting with "...Geese appear" & printing all words.
For refelection the following:
Developing a mindful awakeness in every moment.
It is a "knowing trust", but it is honed and developed over time and through experience..
It is unlearning old habits that can "steal our inner peace"
Like the perssimon seed that holds the promise of a tree... Noticing it and letting the thought flow to other elements and back to geese on high whose ancient faith takes them to familiar places each year in their migratory flight.
We can rest in "abandon as in sleep"...
That what we need is here...
If we awake to each moment and respond to it and one another, rather than to simply quickly react.
Reaction (if merely done fast) can take important lessons from us, rather than teach us deeper, yet known ways...
Again, what we need is here...
I am still battling with "being fully present each moment".
Whem I am, it brings immence peace and insight, about myself and the other and how intertwined everything is...
Being "a part of" where the sky closes and yet falling into it with trusting abandon and the knowing "eyes clear"...[Hide Full Comment]

This is a lovely poem with a seemingly simple surface that takes us to a much deeper place. I love the question How do you develop the eyes to see the deepest reality in front of you? The practice of learning to pay attention--sounds easy but isn't.

The poem as printed here as a few errors, words omitted. As a poet myself, I would urge the posters of this blog to take care to print texts as they have been written.

I have also seen this poem beginning with "Geese appear high over us.." I think I prefer it.

I need help understanding the lines in Wendell Berry‘s poem the wild geese: “Geese appear high over us, pass, and the sky closes. Abandon, as in love or sleep,holds them to their way,clear, in the ancient faith:what we need is here. “
It’s the use of the word abandon that puzzles me. Are the geese abandoning us? Or is abandon Used to express the fleetingness of reality and it all we have is the present moment?

 I hear you ... I pray.

Past and future are imagination.  Only the present is alive.  Living and dying are happening right now, and what I need is here and now.  The challenge is to be present, be responsive here and now to myself, to those I am relating to, and to the world I'm in.  The only time I've come in touch with my truest reality is through being present to what was in me, in front of me, and around me, sharing and operating out of what I am experiencing.  When I've done that in relating to others, the experience is rich.  I develop the eyes to see the deepest reality by practicing being present.  Spending time with someone who is good at being in the present was of great help to me in developing the eyes to see deeper..

Being clear in eye
Ah! that is surely worth praying for
Because I have eyes upon eyes upon eyes
Lenses upon lenses
Filters on filters...

In fleeting moments
I'm stripped of them
By a sharp sweet wild grape
And I glimpse raw reality
Uncut by words
Uncoloured by "me"

Each time I tried
To develop those eyes
I loaded with more and more
already-always "seeings"
But in rest and surrender
A rude shock of love comes
Sweeps me off my feet...
And tells me all I need is here