In 'New and Selected Poems, Volume One,' Mary Oliver invites readers into her enchanted world where nature meets deep introspection. With exquisite language, she captures fleeting moments of beauty and the profound emotions they evoke. Each poem serves as a reminder of life's fragile wonders and the importance of mindfulness. As Oliver explores themes of love, loss, and the ephemeral, she beckons us to relish our connection with the natural world. This collection is not just a poetic journey, but an invitation to reflect on our own existence.
By Mary Oliver
Published: 2004
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
Mary Oliver was awarded the National Book Award for New and Selected Poems, Volume One. Since its initial appearance it has become one of the best-selling volumes of poetry in the country. This collection features thirty poems published only in this volume as well as selections from the poet's first eight books. Mary Oliver's perceptive, brilliantly crafted poems about the natural landscape and the fundamental questions of life and death have won high praise from critics and readers alike. "Do you love this world?" she interrupts a poem about peonies to ask the reader. "Do you cherish your humble and silky life?" She makes us see the extraordinary in our everyday lives, how something as common as light can be "an invitation/to happiness,/and that happiness,/when it's done right,/is a kind of holiness,/palpable and redemptive." She illuminates how a near miss with an alligator can be the catalyst for seeing the world "as if for the second time/the way it really is." Oliver's passionate demonstrations of delight are powerful reminders of the bond between every individual, all living things, and the natural world.
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“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
New and Selected Poems, Volume One
By Mary Oliver
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Mary Oliver (1935-2019) was an acclaimed American poet, renowned for her intricate observations of nature and the human spirit. Her writing is characterized by its clarity, simplicity, and profound depth, often reflecting themes of beauty, solitude, and the connection between humanity and the natural world. Among her most notable works are 'American Primitive,' which won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1984, and 'New and Selected Poems,' which received the National Book Award. Oliver's ability to capture fleeting moments of life with lyrical grace has made her a beloved figure in contemporary poetry.
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