Post by kaylaro116 on May 30, 2013 16:21:28 GMT -5
Mary Oliver was born and raised in Maple Heights, Ohio in a semi-rural suburb of Cleveland. Exposed to poetry at a young age, Oliver began writing poetry at the age of 14, and at 17 visited the home of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, in Austerlitz, upper New York state. She and Norma, the poet's sister, became friends, and Oliver more or less lived there for the next six or seven years, surrounding herself in nature and assisting with poetry.
Before her writing career took off, Oliver briefly attended both Ohio State University and Vassar College in the mid-1950s, but did not receive a degree at either college. At the start of her career, Oliver published her first collection of poems, No Voyage and Other Poems, in 1963, when she was 28. Her steady career continued when Oliver got a teaching job at Case Western Reserve University in the early 1980’s. Four years later in 1984, Oliver earned recognition and won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for her fifth collection of poetry, American Primitive. She was also Poet In Residence at Bucknell University in 1986 and Margaret Banister Writer in Residence at Sweet Briar College in 1991. Oliver then moved to Bennington, Vermont, where she held the Catharine Osgood Foster Chair for Distinguished Teaching until 2001. Oliver continued to receive recognition for her various works of poetry through the years.
Oliver’s work turns toward nature for its inspiration and describes the sense of wonder it instills in her. "When it's over," she says, "I want to say: all my life / I was a bride married to amazement”. I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms." ("When Death Comes" from New and Selected Poems (1992).) Oliver’s poetry has been compared to that of Whitman and Thorough. Many of her observations of nature come from her walks through nature in her hometown of Ohio.
Oliver’s poetry consists of detailed observations in nature that the reader can find a deeper meaning to. Her poetry is relatable for the reader and attempts to portray the importance of appreciating life. She often asks the reader questions such as “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”. Her style and language, though often reaching brilliant descriptions through unexpected combinations of images and words, is rooted in a simplicity and directness.
Oliver's poetry opens a new sense of life to the reader by expanding our vision and recognizing aspects of nature that we might not have before.
I am very thankful that Mary Oliver is here today to present her poetry to us this morning. Please join me in welcoming our 2013 Westfield High School Visiting Poet Mary Oliver.
Before her writing career took off, Oliver briefly attended both Ohio State University and Vassar College in the mid-1950s, but did not receive a degree at either college. At the start of her career, Oliver published her first collection of poems, No Voyage and Other Poems, in 1963, when she was 28. Her steady career continued when Oliver got a teaching job at Case Western Reserve University in the early 1980’s. Four years later in 1984, Oliver earned recognition and won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for her fifth collection of poetry, American Primitive. She was also Poet In Residence at Bucknell University in 1986 and Margaret Banister Writer in Residence at Sweet Briar College in 1991. Oliver then moved to Bennington, Vermont, where she held the Catharine Osgood Foster Chair for Distinguished Teaching until 2001. Oliver continued to receive recognition for her various works of poetry through the years.
Oliver’s work turns toward nature for its inspiration and describes the sense of wonder it instills in her. "When it's over," she says, "I want to say: all my life / I was a bride married to amazement”. I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms." ("When Death Comes" from New and Selected Poems (1992).) Oliver’s poetry has been compared to that of Whitman and Thorough. Many of her observations of nature come from her walks through nature in her hometown of Ohio.
Oliver’s poetry consists of detailed observations in nature that the reader can find a deeper meaning to. Her poetry is relatable for the reader and attempts to portray the importance of appreciating life. She often asks the reader questions such as “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”. Her style and language, though often reaching brilliant descriptions through unexpected combinations of images and words, is rooted in a simplicity and directness.
Oliver's poetry opens a new sense of life to the reader by expanding our vision and recognizing aspects of nature that we might not have before.
I am very thankful that Mary Oliver is here today to present her poetry to us this morning. Please join me in welcoming our 2013 Westfield High School Visiting Poet Mary Oliver.