I listen intently

I listen intently, as though it is a language the ocean is speaking.
--Mary Oliver

"They say there is light but I see only darkness."

"Not just darkness," I repeat, as though I am speaking English. The ocean echoes the words, and the light and darkness change.

"You see an impenetrable darkness."

"I see the ocean."

"And you are the ocean," I say, as though I am talking to a small, wise, star.

"But I am not the ocean."

"It is one and the same," I say.

"You do not understand the ocean."

"I understand it and it's one and the same."





I listen intently, as though it is a language the ocean is speaking.

"Please?" I say to the sea, hoping that she will do the right thing.

There are no cawing or whatnots in the sea. At least, there are no waves crashing against the rocks.

But, she is loud enough to carry the 'baaaaaaast' sounds.

"Thank you, Master." She gives a 'teary eyed, sincere apology' and joins the tides.

How disturbing.

At least there is no reason to complain.

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The next morning after






I listen intently, as though it is a language the ocean is speaking.

"The energy that was in me until just a minute ago is now flowing out. Where did it go? I do not know. I have no idea what has changed in me, what I have become. I just know that there is a much deeper flow of energy within me now. I can feel it within my body. Even though I cannot see it, I can feel it. It feels as though someone is trying to suck me in, if I cannot put it into words, but I can feel it."

I don't know how to react, and have nothing to say. I feel confused, upset, sad. I listen intently, as though it






I listen intently, as though it is a language the ocean is speaking.

'You look for signs of life. You don't see them, but you sense them. And you go looking for






I listen intently, as though it is a language the ocean is speaking.

"Somebody has forgotten to plug in the pumps. Now it is ten p.m. and the waters will take it on and on. It will take a year, if not two, before the most of the waters can go back to their beds. So we had better get some more cylinders. I will go out to my building tomorrow morning and ask for as many cylinders as I can take. I shall go all night with them. We are going to work the gas now.

"You know they have been tossing the cylinders about so many times that sometimes the gas cannot be pumped to any place in our connection.

"The suction-valves