Mary Oliver Poem #3: Just as the Calendar Began to Say Summer

 Just as the Calendar Began to Say Summer (pg. 191) is a wonderful poem that demonstrates Oliver’s curiosity and desire to be in nature. What initially drove me to read this poem was the title. As someone who lives a fast-paced life, I often feel like a season ends as soon as I begin to get settled into it. Reading this poem brought me back to moments in my childhood, specifically when she says,

“Spent all summer forgetting what I’d been taught”

    While it's summertime, students try to soak up every ounce of free time they have and tend to give school much thought. When I was in grade school, I was definitely the kid who lived my summers to the fullest and relished in not having to do homework.

    Mary Oliver then reflects on how the classroom confines her and keeps her away from nature. She acknowledges that while she is sitting in this room and being lectured at, nature is still alive and well. She says,

“The river kept rolling its pebbles, the way the wild wrens sang”

    Many of us can relate to being in a classroom where you want nothing more than for class to end so you can go outside. In high school, I used to feel a lot of frustration around the school system and how they kept us trapped inside a building for most of the daylight hours. I couldn’t wait until I got to college and had the flexibility in my schedule to actually be outdoors when it's bright out. In this sense, sometimes school can feel like a prison, not because of the academics or deadlines, but because of our innate desire to be in nature. Being cooped up in a building for hours on end, multiple days a week does not replenish the soul. Now, I’m grateful to be in a class that gives me the opportunity to spend more time outside and reflect on my relationship with nature.