A response to Mary Oliver's "Wild Geese" by Annie.

The first thing that struck me when I read the poem, was the imagery; it's raw, natural, and beautiful. It describes the prairies and mountains and rivers, evoking vivid, earthy mental images and for a while, making us forget that anything but nature exists. In a day and age when all we see around us are buildings and "civilization", these images are extremely powerful and romantic, depicting the world as a purer, more rustic place. There's nothing in the poem that even hints at the destruction we have wrought on the world; on these very prairies and trees and rivers. There's nothing dark or depressing about the poem to detract from the beauty it creates in the mind of the reader. 

Furthermore, the message is equally beautiful; never apologize for who you are, because everyone has their place in this world. Everyone, no matter who they are, is just as important and, at the same time, just as insignificant as everything else. You don't have to be anything you're not. You don't have to bottle up your passions and emotions. You don't have to feel guilty for who you are. This is a beautiful way of looking at the world, and quite a contrast to what is usually preached: "be good", "be strong", "be independent", and so on, all of which is easier said than done. This poem doesn't tell you to be anything other than what you are. It's reassuring and inspiring. 

However, what I really appreciate about this poem is that, unlike other "be yourself" messages, it does not imply at all that everybody is good. It says "you do not have to be good" - you do not have to be a good person, because the world needs bad people. The world needs selfish people. The world needs criminals and bigots and tyrants. Because if everyone was sweet and kind, life wouldn't be a journey. We'd learn nothing. There'd be no struggles, we'd never grow or get stronger. So as much as we might hate the people who cause us harm, we need them. And we cause harm to others too; inadvertently or otherwise, we've hurt people. We've all done things we're ashamed of. We've all been "bad" and harmful, some more than others perhaps, but we've all been there. This poem doesn't say "be yourself because you're a perfect little angel". It says "be yourself because you have your very own part to play in this world". You have your share of hearts to break just as you have your share of lives to brighten. To some people, you're their comfort, and to others, you're their trial by fire. But you don't need to feel guilty for who you are; you don't need to feel like you're a bad person, because everything you are, everything you do... all fits into the big picture that is life.