Recently, a notable poet in the literature world by the name of Mary Oliver passed away on the 17th of January 2019 due to lymphoma1. Mary Oliver had won several notable awards during her time: most notably, the 1984 Pulitzer due to her ingenuity, jarring themes, and accessible language. Unlike other romantic poems—or poets—Mary Oliver made poetry accessible; her word choice, style, and executing themes regarding the ugliness and the beauty of nature has put her in the same sentence with Emily Dickinson2, a sui generis.
With that in mind, the purpose of this thread is to appreciate Mary Oliver and her impact on the literature world. Her poems are awe-inspiring, jaw dropping, and inspiring. She shall be remembered.
“Wild Geese”
Mary Oliver
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.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
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.
References.
Even though I do not know her, her works and masterpiece -- her art -- would be remembered. This is my first time reading her poems, but it truly is wonderful! Thanks for sharing one of her works!