"What I Can Do" by Mary Oliver

This happened a while ago, but something I found comforting was Chanel Miller reading poems on her Instagram livestream. Every night she would read a few poems for people who had trouble falling asleep. “What I Can Do” by Mary Oliver felt especially relatable. After watching Portrait of a Lady on Fire this weekend, which was incredible, I thought of this poem again:

"What I Can Do" 

By Mary Oliver

The television has two instruments that control it.

I get confused.

The washer asks me, do you want regular or delicate?

Honestly, I just want clean.

Everything is like that.

I won’t even mention cell phones.

I can turn on the light of the lamp beside my chair

Where a book is waiting, but that’s about it.

Oh yes, and I can strike a match and make fire.