I don’t want to live a small life

Last night I was at Chester St. Uniting Church for a unique and inspiring evening, a reflection on poetry, life and the spirit delivered by Prof. Mark Burrows (and put on by Eremos). There was so much about his lecture that moved me, but he began proceedings with this poem, which I'd never heard before:

I don’t want to live a small life.

(from Red Bird by Mary Oliver)

I don’t want to live a small life. Open your eyes,

open your hands. I have just come

from the berry fields, the sun

kissing me with its golden mouth all the way

(open your hands) and the wind-winged clouds

following along thinking perhaps I might

feed them, but no I carry these heart-shapes

only to you. Look how many small

but so sweet and maybe the last gift

I will bring to anyone in this

world of hope and risk, so do

Look at me. Open your life, open your hands.