Saturday, February 11, 2012

Angels in the Treetops


A few days ago, while returning from a walk with Buddy through the meadow, made even more perfect by those beautiful old Norway pines standing nearby, I noticed the treetops leading back to the house and how they sparkled in the sunlight. I couldn't resist taking their pictures.


When I was back at my table, in the warmth of the kitchen, I opened a book of poetry by Mary Oliver that I'd purchased the day before and found this poem:


"About Angels and About Trees"

Where do angels
  fly in the firmament,
and how many can dance
  on the head of a pin?

Well, I don't care
  about that pin dance,
what I know is that
  they rest, sometimes,
in the tops of trees

and you can see them,
  or almost see them,
or, anyway, think: what a
  wonderful idea.

I have lost as you and
  others have possibly lost a
beloved one,
  and wonder, where are they now?

The trees, anyway, are
  miraculous, full of
angels (ideas); even
  empty they are a
good place to look, to put
  the heart at rest -- all those
leaves breathing the air, so

peaceful and diligent, and certainly
  ready to be
the resting place of
  strange, winged creatures
that we, in this world, have loved.

~ Mary Oliver, from Evidence



Even now, on this cold winter day, it's not difficult at all to imagine them there, resting among the shining treetops.











70 comments:

  1. Very nice. Reminded me of paragliding above Tiger Mountain, seeing my shadow fly through the trees ;)

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    1. That sounds like a wonderful experience. Thanks, Will.

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  2. I am so in love with Mary Oliver. That, and the pictures, makes my heart swell with gratitude. Thank you, dear Teresa.

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  3. A good and interesting poem - I liked it. And I had to look really carefully at your final picture, because at first glance I thought it had been photoshopped and you'd put angels in it - of course it is not but it's a really amazing picture!

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    1. Hi Jenny, No, not photoshopped at all. It was a happy circumstance that brought the poem and my photo together. Thank you!

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  4. Don't you just love when you happen across the perfect piece to illustrate your mood!

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  5. I had long wondered how many angels could dance on the head of a pin. One day, I found the answer: None, because dancing is against their religion.

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    1. Unless you're a Sufi and then you can dance like a whirling dervish! :)

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  6. Oh I can just see the light glistening in those tree tops and feel the crisp air. Wonderful.

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  7. Oh yes!! Those days of the frosted trees it would be easy to imagine angels biding there. Lovely, Teresa! :)

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  8. The trees tree branch figure does look somewhat like an angel figure. I would like to call the figure the "spirit of the air" from an old Irish myth. -- barbara

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  9. I loved the deep snow of my childhood, and all the games that went with it, but nothing was so spectacular as snow or hoarfrost in the trees. It was breath-taking - we would stand at the windows, hardly moving, as though we were afraid the slightest step would vibrate the earth and cause the snow to fall.

    And aren't the skies blue, on those cold, crisp days? Sometimes the sun on the new snow was so bright, we'd need time to recover our sight fully when we came inside. I miss those winter sights - thanks for sharing them so freely!

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    1. Yes, it was as though we had entered in our sleep a magical kingdom. I do recall being "snow-blinded," dots dancing in front of our eyes as it was recovered. Thanks for those memories.

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  10. "...even empty they are a good place to look"

    A beautiful observation.

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    1. Yes, I was taken by that line as well. It's nice to see you again.

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  11. I have tried to catch that sparkle as I see it, but rarely had any luck.

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    1. It's never as beautiful through the lens as it is to the eye, that's for sure!

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  12. Yes.'Something Comforting In Trees.Both Bigger+Stronger Than Ourselves..............

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    1. Yes, they are comforting in their strength. Thanks for that thought, Tony.

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  13. You have a great talent for finding fabulous combinations of images and poetry! You enrich all of us.

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    1. Well, thank you, Nancy. I sure enjoy putting them together. The world is full of possibilities for doing so.

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  14. Dear Teresa,
    Mary Oliver is a favorite of mine because she is so in tune with the dance and song and music of nature. It's essence. Before I revised a novel I'm working on, I had a scene in which the main character saw angels in the treetops. Maybe I need to put that scene back in!

    Maybe I got too literal when I did the second draft and ended up sucking the juice out of the book! I'm so glad you posted this poem, Teresa. It's made me think. And wonder.

    Peace.

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    1. Interesting. We receive messages in some pretty unique ways, so... :)

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  15. I don't think it is a coincidence that I stumbled here. I was just a couple days ago, before the cold and snow hit, sitting on my bench staring up at the treetops. They seemed to be waving, here, right here, look up here, there are answers to be found right here. Love your site. Will visit again soon.

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    1. I'm so glad you did. I always appreciate it when people get "sent" my way. What a wonderful message from the trees: "There are answers to be found right here." I love that. Thanks so much for stumbling into my site. :)

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  16. Such beautiful pictures of trees, Mother Nature is so wonderful and it looks like the air was fresh and cool. Thank you, Teresa.
    Nosehugs to Buddy!
    Grethe ´)

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    1. Yes, Grethe, "she" is full of unending surprises and happy moments knit together. I love breathing that fresh, cool air.

      Thank you.

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  17. Every tree carries a mystery and that is of 'angelic' nature. Those stories of angels are not fairytale or some mythological stories, but they are as real as my breathes and yours. The subtler we become by spreading our love all around, the world of subtlety shall abide in us, and we too shall one day dance in the tops of trees. Beautiful poem, wonderful perception.

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    1. cyclopseven, I am so grateful for your very perceptive responses to my posts. This is so wonderful and means a great deal to me.

      "The subtler we become by spreading our love all around, the world of subtlety shall abide in us..." Yes, I agree, wholeheartedly.

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  18. I love these pics - as I love looking at the treetops as well. For me, they always have been the place where the earth touches the sky. The place where birds perch, mocking those of us who only wish we could fly.

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    1. Hey t, I trust that "Writer's Block," will break free any minute now. Thanks for stopping and for the comment. Onward and Upward. :)

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  19. You have definitely captured a Heavenly Winter day alright.

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  20. My God, why does every poem by Mary Oliver make me want to weep from the sheer brilliance of it?

    Thanks for this. It was one I had not seen before!

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    1. I feel the same, Betty. She is brilliant. I loved having a poem for those images, and vice versa.

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  21. Oh my gosh, Teresa, this was absolutely beautiful and what a concept! I need to pass this along to some friends who have lost loved one. Thanks so much for this post...
    Happy Valentine's Day!
    ps...love the previous post...my mom use to have to pluck chickens when she was younger! UGH!

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    1. Happy Valentine's Day, Tracy. I'm glad you stopped by and thanks for responding to these posts.

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  22. Dear Teresa, I'm just starting to catch up after about a week away from blogs and things and started with you. How glad I am that I did, for your pictures and Oliver's poem are just the sort of angelic thoughts that have been hovering around my head. It snowed earlier. Just a dusting, really, but, I think I'll walk about a bit and see if I can find a few angels of my own to see today - Valentine's Day.

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    1. Penny, How nice of you to think of me. Isn't it wonderful what we can see, when we keep our mind and our eyes open? I hope you and your honey are having a really fine day.

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  23. Wonderful poem for Valentines Day. I have always liked Mary Oliver. And the passage "The trees, anyway, are
    miraculous, full of
    angels (ideas); even
    empty they are a
    good place to look, to put
    the heart at rest -- all those
    leaves breathing the air" is so inspirational. Thank you.

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    1. Hi Bill, I love those lines. She really sees the essence of life, doesn't she?

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  24. Mary Oliver & Teresa Evangeline.... sigh

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    1. Good Morning. I trust you and the druids had fun in the Holler last night, dancing to Van Morrison.

      Thank you. :)

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  25. Mary Oliver speaks to so many of us! I like the concept and shall look for angels on my next walk.

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    1. Hi Kate, I have no doubt you will find some there, in Santa Fe.

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  26. Words and images coming together in harmony. Lovely.

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  27. Hej Teresa, I'll just tell you that Cait'O-Connor from Wales has got a beautiful poem about dreams on her blog. "The Weaving of Dreams". (her second last post). You can find her on my poetry-blog, where she has a comment on the Dream Catcher - or in the blogs I follow.

    See you later!
    Grethe ')

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    1. Thank you, Grethe, for the head's up about Cait's beautiful blog and her dreamcatcher post. She visited here recently and I am glad for the reminder.

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  28. I wish that I had seen this poem when my friend Mary died. I have a "thing" for trees and perhaps that is why: the angels are there, waiting. It's good to know, isn't it?

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  29. Hi Teresa, glad I followed you here from Joe Blair's blog. I've never seen this Mary Oliver poem--so lovely! Such different writing styles--Joe's and Mary's--both so fabulous.

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    1. Hi Patricia, I'm glad you found your way here, especially via Joe Blair. Yes, they are both so good. A thread of deep honesty runs through both.

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  30. Mary Oliver is a wonderful nature poet. I love her work dearly. I've only come to her through blogging, certainly with your help among others.

    Angels in the tree tops, yes indeed. I can see them too.

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    1. She is a wonder. I haven't found a poem I don't like and can't imagine that I will.

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  31. Beautiiful phots and poem. I love Mary Oliver. When I found her work, it was like finding a long lost friend.

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  32. Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by. I just went by your place and really like what I saw and read there. Thanks!

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  33. It's refreshing to find someone willing to explore the beauty of this world in a different perspective. Cool site.

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  34. How beautiful - I can see angels in that last photo x

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    1. Kitty, It's so nice to hear from you. I trust Life is feeling good and moving harmoniously for you.

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  35. Oh, I hope so, Teresa.
    Wonderful post. Beautiful photos and my favorite poet... one of the best.

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    1. I'm glad you found this post. I hope you've had a good weekend.

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