by Mary Oliver
First published 2014
Mary Oliver turns her attention to the creatures and landscapes that have shaped her poetic vision. She watches herons move through water, sparrows dart between branches, and owls hunt in darkness. She considers the quiet endurance of oak trees and finds meaning in a simple bird's nest. The paintings of Franz Marc inspire her reflections on how artists capture the natural world. Through these observations, Oliver asks what it means to belong fully to this world. She finds that paying close attention to small moments can change how we see everything around us. The poems are gentle and honest, sometimes touched with humor. Oliver shows how love, creativity, and the passage of time connect us to the birds, trees, and seasons that surround us. At its center, this collection invites readers to live more aware of nature's constant changes.
Genres: nature, art, animals, poetry, spirituality, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, intimate
79 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Press