Lachlan’s Reviews > Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver > Status Update

Favourites from ‘Twelve Moons’ 1979 were ‘Pink Moon-The Pond’ and ‘Aunt Leaf’.

From ‘The River Styx, Ohio’ (1972) I liked the line in ‘Going to Walden’: “How dull we go from hurrying here and there!” So true! But I won’t slow down :/

‘American Primitive’ (1983), ‘Three Rivers Poetry Journal’ (1980) and ‘Three Poems for James Wright’ (1982). “The Kitten” from American Primitive reminded me of the two-headed calf poem

I really enjoyed ‘Dream Work’ (1986). Favourites were ‘one or two things’, ‘morning poem’, ‘wild geese’ and ‘the journey’.

‘House of Light’ (1990) - bit religious for me!

‘New and Selected Poems: Volume One’ (1992). A bit simpler than other chapters. This book feels like a tutorial for life and happiness. ‘October’ was my favourite.

‘White Pine’ (1994). “Yes! No!” Was my favourite. I am fascinated by Oliver’s spirituality but wonder if I could achieve her passion without faith. Anyway. Goodnight.

Wow. ‘West Wind’ (1997) made me put my book down and really sit with these poems. I was feeling down before I started this, but Mary Oliver just has such an appreciation for life and nature that my mindset completely changed and I was just in awe of the possibilities before me by the time I was finished.

There were only two poems in ‘The Leaf and the Cloud’ (2000) and I usually prefer the shorter, sweeter ones, but my favourite line was: “A lifetime isn’t long enough for the beautify of this world and the responsibilities of your life.” -from ‘Flare’.

Fav from ‘Owls and other fantasies’ (2003) was ‘The Dipper’ and from ‘What do we know?’ (2002) were ‘The Loon’ and ‘Mink’ !