Hummingbird Quote by Mary Oliver
““Someday Even the oldest of the trees continues its wonderful labor. Hummingbird lives in one of them. He’s there for the white blossoms, and the secrecy. The blossoms could be snow, with a dash of pink. At first the fruit is small and green and hard. Everything has dreams, hope, ambition. If I could I would always live in such shining obedience where nothing but the wind trims the boughs. I am sorry for every mistake I have made in my life. I’m sorry I wasn’t wiser sooner. I’m sorry I ever spoke of myself as lonely. Oh, love, lay your hands upon me again. Some of the fruit ripens and is picked and is delicious. Some of it falls and the ants are delighted. Some of it hides under the snow and the famished deer are saved.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: The Wild Iris, 1992
The poem reflects on nature’s cycles, humility, regret, and a yearning for love and redemption, using tree and fruit imagery as metaphors for life’s stages and hidden gifts.
In simple terms: Nature shows cycles, regret, and a desire for love and redemption.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility and seek love’s renewal.
Themes
nature
redemption
humility
love
growth
Mood
reflective
hopeful
melancholic
Type
poetic
spiritual
When to use this quote
- gardening
- personal reflection
- grief healing
- seasonal change
- mindfulness
Key Concepts
metaphor
cycle
spirituality
Questions to Reflect On
- What hidden gifts might your struggles hold?
- How can humility transform regret into growth?
A Different Perspective
Life’s hardships often mask hidden blessings.
![“We’re constantly being bombarded by problems that we face and sometimes we can get completely overwhelmed. [But] we should always feel like a hummingbird. I may feel insignificant, but I don’t want to be like the other animals watching the planet go down the drain. I’ll be a hummingbird, I’ll do…” quote by Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/25d/wangari-maathai-2479_animal_we-re-constantly-being-bombarded-by-prob_1333608.jpg)
