wild geese mary oliver

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

You do not have to walk on your knees

For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -

over and over announcing your place

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.