I Heard Her Sing In Tongues Of Silver

Townes van Zandt: Buckskin Stallion Blues

I worried a lot.
Will the garden grow,
will the rivers
flow in the right direction,
will the earth turn
as it was taught,
and if not how shall
I correct it?

Was I right, was I wrong,
will I be forgiven,
can I do better?

Will I ever be able to sing,
even the sparrows
can do it and I am, well,
hopeless.

Is my eyesight fading
or am I just imagining it,
am I going to get rheumatism,
lockjaw, dementia?

Finally I saw that worrying had come to nothing.
And gave it up. And took my old body
and went out into the morning, and sang.

--Mary Oliver
I Worried

Houston, Texas: 1988


if i had a buckskin stallion
i'd tame him down and ride away
if i had a golden galleon
i'd sail into the light of day