Class Readings: Mary Oliver Presentation

  In our penultimate class, we had our Mary Oliver presentations. Originally, I thought I would present the poem “Just as the Calendar Began to Say Summer”. The poem's major themes hit home for me, especially Oliver's struggle with the academic grind, torn between school and the allure of nature. As a kid, I also struggled with going to school and would have rather spent time outside playing with friends. At the last minute, I decided to change to the poem “Don’t Hesitate”. After reading and analyzing this piece, I noticed it related much closer to the issues I am facing in my life currently. Oliver made me realize that I should seek joy in my life without regard to how that will be perceived by others.

    Hearing my other classmates discuss their poems of choice was beautiful. I think it is amazing that we were all able to find different poems that spoke to us and had special meaning as well. I liked hearing about the poem “Backyard” and Ashton's reflections on her home in New Jersey. What a treat it must be to have that paradise behind your home! She commented on Oliver’s description of the backyard where she stated the area was without “direct management”. This made Ashton reflect on how her own yard is a wilderness, and she enjoys watching the ecosystem and the animals within it interact with each other. I think by reading these poems, Oliver invites us to consider how her ideas about nature and life are mirrored in our own lives. By doing this, it further emphasizes how important the natural world is to our well-being and life story.

    After hearing everyone’s presentation, it was so cool to see how everyone was able to find deep meaning in Mary Oliver’s work. We all found deeply personal connections to her work, and I think this goes to show how powerful nature writing can be. I know a lot of people my age are intimidated by poetry and tend to not read it. But when you have a writer as impactful as Mary Oliver, it's easy to keep coming back for more. I’m so grateful to have heard the stories from my fellow classmates and hear their favorite poems from the semester.

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