Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The art of Mary Oliver (part 3)


Mary Oliver (b1935)
American poet—her poetry rings all the little bells


Mary Oliver’s poetry is expansive. She’s in touch with a lot of geography, and she invites readers to think all the way to their horizons.

I’ve taken the time to re-read “The summer day” recently, here’s an excerpt:

“Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
  Tell me, what is it you plan to do
  With your one wild and precious life?”

That, as they say, is a very good question. Just for starters, it’s a marvelous provocation to think deeply about my “wild and precious life,” and to dedicate myself to making sure that it’s at least a little bit of each.

I’m a grandfather….I think I can still do wild.

I’ll ask the kids for a little help.



"The summer day" from Mary Oliver, New and Selected Poems 1992.








Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2015 All rights reserved.

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