“(In my sleep I dreamed this poem)

Someone I loved once gave me
a box full of darkness.

It took me years to understand
that this, too, was a gift.”

—  Mary Oliver

Variant: Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.
Source: Thirst

Last update April 10, 2025. History

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Mary Oliver photo
Mary Oliver 98
American writer 1935–2019

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