Welcome to my blog * thoughts and things * poetry, pictures * ideas * opinions * kindness * video * stay and read a while.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Who is Mary Oliver?

Share it Please
Some time ago one of my readers submitted a comment which included a few lines from a poem by Mary Oliver. I reposted the comment as a blog entry because it was particularly complimentary and I enjoyed the poetry. Soon aftrer I began to notice an increase of visitors to my blog. At first I imagined it was because of some wise or interesting thing I had written, until, that is, someone showed me how to research what key words readers were searching for when they found my blog.

The culprit: "Mary Oliver"

One or America's best loved poets was driving traffic to my site. Visitors were finding my blog because of the few lines of Mary's poetry. Oh the indignity.

I read more about her and read more of her poetry and began to understand the love affair the poetry reading world continues to have with her work.

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves. [...]
The world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting-
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

From "Wild Geese"; Dream Work (1986)

Interesting Bits:

  • Her fifth collection of poetry, American Primitive, won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1984.
  • She fell for her partner of 40 years, hook line and sinker, love at first sight style: Molly Malone Cook, who would become literary agent and live with Mary in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
  • She attended two colleges, Ohio State University and Vassar College, but did not receive a degree at either one.

A Thousand Mornings

New And Selected Poems

Thirst:Poems


For more articles on poetry click here

For articles featuring reviews click here






No comments:

Post a Comment

Popular Posts


5 most recently updated from the blogs I'm following

Followers

Science of Mind and Spirit For Begnners

Science of Mind and Spirit For Begnners
"This wonderful book guides any individual to understand Science of Mind with ease and grace. It is a simple and beautiful presentation of the Spiritual Principles Science of Mind teaches. I highly recommend this book to students, licensed Practitioners and ministers. Blessings to Rev Edward." ~ Johan Gonzalez RScP. Science of Mind and Spirit for Beginners: Four Chapters in Simplified Prose, paraphrased by Edward VIljoen

Practice The Presence Journal

Practice The Presence Journal
Journaling offers a powerful way to record your spiritual growth. Writing in a journal calls on you to be more conscious of the insights that occur daily in your life. It gives you an opportunity to examine your beliefs and be mindful of your choices.

Seeing Good At Work

Seeing Good At Work
I have been through the book three times over three years, and am starting it again. This is not because the material in the book is not working, but because it is working so well! The weekly lessons keep me on track and focused on what is actually true and important, and help me experience more good in every area of my life. LS

Ezine.com