Summer Morning
Heart,
I implore you,
it’s time to come back
from the dark,
it’s morning,
the hills are pink
and the roses
whatever they felt
in the valley of night
are opening now
their soft dresses,
their leaves
are shining.
Why are you laggard?
Sure you have seen this
a thousand times,
which isn’t half enough.
Let the world
have its way with you,
luminous as it is
with mystery
and pain-
graced as it is
with the ordinary.
by Mary Oliver from Red Bird retrieved from this link 6/27/26
Invitation: “Why are you laggard?”
A Commons Practice
We believe no one is meant to walk alone.
Every reflection is an invitation to pause, wonder, and connect. If today’s piece stirred something in you, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Our Community Tables are welcoming online conversations where people reflect together, listen deeply, and discover the wisdom that emerges through shared experience.
The conversation doesn’t end here. Join us at an upcoming Community Table.
Mary Jane Oliver (September 10, 1935 – January 17, 2019) was an American poet who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 and the National Book Award in 1992. She found inspiration for her work in nature and had a lifelong habit of solitary walks in the wild. Her poetry is characterized by wonderment at the natural environment, vivid imagery, and unadorned language. In 2007, she was declared the best-selling poet in the United States. More about Mary Oliver and her work a this link.
If you are enjoying The Community Table and would like to support our work consider making a donation. While the offerings on the Community Table will always be free - we appreciate any support you can provide to continue helping us set the table for creating community.
We will meet for the Community Table every Monday at 4:30 pm or 8:00 pm (EST) - Go to our calendar at this link for details: https://courageouscommons.com/events/
July Courageous Citizen
Dr. Paul Farmer
For our July Americans Who Tell the Truth feature, we chose Dr. Paul Farmer because he spent his life living into the belief that we have a moral responsibility to accompany those who suffer. He didn’t simply talk about equity. He embodied it. Whether someone lived in a remote village or a place forgotten by the rest of the world, he believed no one should be beyond the reach of care.
https://americanswhotellthetruth.org/portraits/dr-paul-farmer/
Thank you for posting Summer Morning by Mary Oliver today. I am reflecting upon the opening of her poem --
Heart,
I implore you,
it’s time to come back
from the dark
While the conventional connection might be about seasons -- I am thinking about the current political situation and that it is time for my heart to come back... to return to the light that is there.
Mary Oliver had a rare gift for reminding us that the ordinary is never truly ordinary when we meet it with an open heart. “Let the world have its way with you…” is a line that continues to speak across time. Thank you for sharing this beautiful invitation to begin the day with wonder and quiet attention.