text: what does "mockingbirds" poem by mary oliver trying say? (poem is below)? mockingbirds  this morning two mockingbirds in the green field were spinning and tossing  the white ribbons of their songs into the air. i had nothing  better to do than listen. i mean this seriously.  in greece, a long time ago, an old couple opened their door  to two strangers who were, it soon appeared, not men at all,  but gods. it is my favorite story-- how the old couple had almost nothing to give  but their willingness to be attentive-- but for this alone the gods loved them  and blessed them-- when they rose out of their mortal bodies, like a million particles of water  from a fountain, the light swept into all the corners of the cottage,  and the old couple, shaken with understanding, bowed down-- but still they asked for nothing  but the difficult life which they had already. and the gods smiled, as they vanished, clapping their great wings.  wherever it was i was supposed to be this morning-- whatever it was i said its about the gift of life  the dictionary says that gift is “something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation.” it also says “a notable capacity.” zen teachers suggest that the miracle isn’t to be able to walk on air or water. rather, the miracle is to simply walk on the earth. how often we overlook what is directly underfoot by trying to see what is out of view and considered by some to be higher or greater! our everyday situation is the gift we are given. are we able to hold it gently, thankfully, and peacefully? even if our everyday situation doesn’t look like what we think it should look like?