Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Mary Oliver's "Mockingbirds" brings forth the transformative power of attentiveness in a world full of divine surprises. A casual scene of two mockingbirds singing becomes a profound spiritual lesson, linking itself to an old Greek myth where hospitality and attention turn mortal hosts into the objects of divine favor. The poem elegantly unravels the subtleties of listening and being, juxtaposing them with the mundane duties that often occupy human lives.

The poem starts with a humble setting: "This morning / two mockingbirds / in the green field / were spinning and tossing / the white ribbons / of their songs / into the air." Nature takes the foreground, not as a grand spectacle but as a modest, everyday phenomenon. The birds are not exotic creatures but familiar mockingbirds, and their songs are "white ribbons," simple and unadorned. Yet, the speaker considers listening to them as an act worth their time: "I had nothing / better to do / than listen. / I mean this / seriously." The seriousness is essential; it emphasizes that the seemingly trivial act of listening to birds is, in fact, a meaningful endeavor.

Suddenly, the poem shifts from a simple nature scene to ancient Greece, introducing an old couple who opened their door to gods disguised as men. The couple had "almost nothing to give / but their willingness / to be attentive." Here, attentiveness is elevated to an act worthy of divine blessing. The old couple rise "out of their mortal bodies," transformed by light, yet they ask for "nothing / but the difficult life / which they had already." This line encapsulates the poem's central theme: that the beauty and grace of life often lie in simple moments, in attentiveness to the present, rather than in grand gestures or material wealth.

The poem then ties the Greek tale back to the present moment. The speaker admits to neglecting some unnamed obligations: "Wherever it was / I was supposed to be / this morning- / whatever it was I said / I would be doing-." Yet, instead of guilt, the speaker experiences an epiphany: "I was standing / at the edge of the field- / I was hurrying / through my own soul, / opening its dark doors- / I was leaning out; / I was listening." Like the old Greek couple, the speaker finds divinity in attentiveness, in being fully present.

Mary Oliver's "Mockingbirds" crafts an eloquent argument for mindfulness, for seeing the extraordinary within the ordinary. It suggests that the path to divinity, to understanding and to blessing, lies in our willingness to stop, lean out, and listen. Whether it's the song of a mockingbird or the voice of a loved one, true richness in life may indeed be predicated upon our capacity for attention. It is through these quiet acts of attentiveness that we, too, may be blessed with understanding, finding ourselves hurrying "through our own souls," opening previously unseen doors.

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