This collection of poetry was arranged by Oliver, with the over 200 poems coming from her first book, published in 1963, up to her most recent book, published in 2015.
I checked it out (literally, from the library) because it was picked for the Read with Jenna book club.
I must admit I’m not a huge fan of just diving into poetry collections. I’ve appreciated poetry but it’s not my favorite. But I did enjoy the foray into the simple things of our amazing world: the plants and animals and all of nature; the interactions between humans and nature and with each other.
There were some gems I had to save:
“The Old Poets of China”
Wherever I am, the world comes after me.
It offers me its busyness. It does not believe
that I do not want it. Now I understand
why the old poets of China went so far and high
into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist.
From
“It Was Early”
…
Sometimes I need
only to stand
wherever I am
to be blessed.
From “The Swan”
…
Of course! The path to heaven
Doesn’t lie down in flat miles.
It’s in the imagination
with which you perceive
this world,
and the gestures
with which you honor it.
I’ll savor those words for a while.
Rated: None.
