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Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver
Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver | Mary Oliver
135 posts | 46 read | 5 reading | 60 to read
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver presents a personal selection of her best work in this definitive collection spanning more than five decades of her esteemed literary career. Throughout her celebrated career, Mary Oliver has touched countless readers with her brilliantly crafted verse, expounding on her love for the physical world and the powerful bonds between all living things. Identified as "far and away, this country's best selling poet" by Dwight Garner, she now returns with a stunning and definitive collection of her writing from the last fifty years. Carefully curated, these 200 plus poems feature Oliver's work from her very first book of poetry, No Voyage and Other Poems, published in 1963 at the age of 28, through her most recent collection, Felicity, published in 2015. This timeless volume, arranged by Oliver herself, showcases the beloved poet at her edifying best. Within these pages, she provides us with an extraordinary and invaluable collection of her passionate, perceptive, and much-treasured observations of the natural world.
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Bookwormjillk
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Mary Oliver makes me want to run outside and notice everything. The tagged is her greatest hits. I keep it on my nightstand and read it when I need to guarantee good dreams.

IndoorDame Love Mary Oliver!!! 3mo
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
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cottagelantern
Pickpick

5 ⭐️s
poignant, raw, startling, insightful, deep, beautiful. a walk through life holding the hand of nature.

3 likes1 stack add
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TheKidUpstairs
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"Snow was falling, so much like stars filling the dark trees that one could easily imagine its reason for being was nothing more than prettiness." - Mary Oliver

IndoorDame Love Mary Oliver! 4mo
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IndoorDame
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#poetrymatters I didn‘t have a word for the 24th (I may have just missed an update that included one) so I‘m sharing a poem for the autumnal equinox, which was yesterday. @TheSpineView

TheSpineView 🧡🍂💛 6mo
dabbe 🧡💜💛 6mo
slategreyskies I love Mary Oliver. 🥰 6mo
36 likes3 comments
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Lynnsoprano
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A wonderful way to end a day.

TheBookHippie Agree 14mo
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monalyisha
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I bet you didn‘t think I‘d stick to my New Year‘s Resolution this year. Or…maybe you did. But I didn‘t! Anyway, I wrote another blog post — this time, about my birthday.

You can read it here:
https://tinyurl.com/ImpossibleHoney

MoonWitch94 😍😍😍😍 1y
78 likes1 comment
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Robotswithpersonality
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Pickpick

Still rejoice in her recounting of sensual delights of Nature, colour, texture, sound, temperature, taste, gratitude in satisfied appetites, beauty of all beings. Not into the preachy poems (God-focused or criticizing materialism), where reverence for Nature begins to feel cult-y. Appreciate few instances where travel gave way to recognizing privilege, and at home acknowledgement of indigenous claim to land.

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Robotswithpersonality
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Quenched.

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Robotswithpersonality
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August, p.365.
Can't you just taste it?

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Robotswithpersonality
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🌧️💧💙 Always loved the rain... partly that life giving aspect; partly that freshening of the atmosphere.

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Robotswithpersonality
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🌳

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Robotswithpersonality
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Could also be instructions for writing.

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Robotswithpersonality
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Storage, p. 7.

3 likes1 stack add
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Bookwormjillk
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What I plan to do with my one wild and precious life 😃

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suvata
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Pickpick

ModernMrsDarcy.com Book Club is reading poetry in April. Their team has put together the Modern Mrs Darcy Poetry Collection with thirty of their favorite poems. In addition to the custom poetry collection, we're reading optional flight pick titles:

•What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer
•Selected Poems by Gwendolyn Brooks
•Kyrie by Ellen Bryant Voigt
•An American Sunrise by Joy Harjo
•Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver

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Addison_Reads
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jlhammar Me too! One of my favorite poets, for sure. 2y
33 likes1 comment
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GatheringBooks
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#ItHadToBeYou Day 18: This is a #HappilyEverAfter kind of poem from Mary Oliver.

annahenke Oh I adore this! 2y
Eggs Beautiful words🌸 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️❤️❤️ 2y
39 likes3 comments
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KinaReads

“But here‘s the kingdom we call remembrance
with its thousand iron doors
through which I pass so easily,

switching on the old lights as I go-
while the dead wind rises and the old rapture rewinds,
the stiff waters once more begin to kick and flow”.

1 like1 stack add
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KinaReads

“After excitement we are so restful. When the thumb of fear lifts, we are so alive”.

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sakeriver
Pickpick

I was only familiar with a small handful of Mary Oliver‘s poems before reading this collection, and it was a real pleasure getting to know more of her work. Oliver gets pigeonholed, I think, as a poet whose work doesn‘t have edge or depth, but I think that is profoundly wrong. There are contemplative nature poems here, but also angry poems and sexy poems, and throughout the collection, the presence of death can be felt. Definitely worth the read.

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SW-T
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Someone sent me the photo and it made me laugh, which brought to mind Mary Oliver‘s poem, Don‘t Hesitate. Hope you find a smile and some joy from it as well. :-)

Smrloomis 😊💕💕💕 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️❤️❤️ 2y
22 likes2 comments
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sakeriver
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Next

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Bookwormjillk
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One of my favorite poems from one of my favorites poetry collections. #Adventathon

BookmarkTavern I adore Mary Oliver! Thank you for sharing this! ❤️ 2y
41 likes1 comment
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sebrittainclark
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Pickpick

4/5

This is a wonderful collection of Mary Oliver's poems across her lifetime. With all her work, her awareness of the world around her makes me want to pay more attention to the world around to see the beauty in the every day. The collection contained some of my favorite poems and many that I hadn't read before.

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Vivlio_Gnosi
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Bailedbailed

I really HATE to bail on this book. Her poems are wonderful. I reached a point where I wasn't excited to read the book and I didn't want that to happen. I'll pick it up later.
This decision is in NO WAY a reflection of the quality of Oliver or her work.

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slategreyskies
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1. While there are lots of authors I‘m grateful for, Mary Oliver stands out to me as someone who‘s both inspiring and calming to me. I love her dearly.

2. I keep a journal for what made me smile, which is kinda the same thing to me. It‘s just a journal full of lists. I love it.

3. Tagged.

#SundayFunday

BookmarkTavern Mary Oliver is a fantastic pick! Thanks for posting! 2y
29 likes1 comment
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Vivlio_Gnosi
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Oh to be 70 and full of beans. What a dream.
#poetry

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Vivlio_Gnosi
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"Joy is not made to be a crumb."
#poetry

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Vivlio_Gnosi
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Vivlio_Gnosi
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Vivlio_Gnosi
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Started reading this book of #poetry

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monalyisha
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Because I‘ve signed up for two Fall swaps, I‘m posting my Wish Lists here. My mystery match for each swap should probably avoid the books posted on my Wish List for the other.

I hope you have fun shopping! This is my list for the #BasicWitchSwap #BWS.

P.S. I once read a Mary Sue article that referred to Emily as “Anne Shirley's weird Wednesday Addams goth cousin,” & it‘s been on my TBR ever since. 🖤

Full titles tagged below.

See All 13 Comments
monalyisha And because nature worship is akin to witchcraft… 3y
mklong What a fun list! I‘ve heard lots of raves about 3y
monalyisha Thanks @mklong 🌒! Nightbitch DOES look amazing! Every year, I put books on my swap list & then kick myself because it means I have to wait to read them (just in case). 😅 What a web we weave! 🕷 3y
mklong Haha, I do the same but then look at the waist high TBR stack by my bed and think “oh yeah, I guess I could read a few of those in the meantime.” 3y
57 likes13 comments
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wanderinglynn
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I follow Mary Oliver on Facebook and she posted this the other day. 💚

#thinkpositivebepositive

Eggs She‘s amazing. Thanks for tagging🥰 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 💚💚💚 3y
60 likes2 comments
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DivineDiana
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Pickpick

I first heard of Mary Oliver when I read an interview an interview with her by Maria Shriver in O magazine. Interesting. Then, I listened to Krista Tippett interview her on the On Being podcast. I liked what I heard. So,I began to read her poetry. My life was changing, and I began to pay more attention to nature. Her spare poetry spoke to me. This is a collection of her poems from many of her books. Her poetry brings me solace.

TrishB Lovely review ♥️ 3y
SamAnne I‘ve been wanting to read her for a long time. 3y
DivineDiana @TrishB So kind of you. ❤️ 3y
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DivineDiana @SamAnne I hope you do! 3y
ValerieAndBooks Yes!! And I loved that poetry issue with Maria Shriver as guest editor so much, that I saved it and still have it! 3y
DivineDiana @ValerieAndBooks That‘s fantastic! I recently donated my huge collection (100‘s of issues) of O magazine to a therapist who was looking for old magazines for vision boards for her clients. If only I had remembered, I would have saved it too! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 3y
54 likes1 stack add6 comments
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BekaReid
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"If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don‘t hesitate."

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DivineDiana
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I start my day with a reading from this peaceful book of poetry. #poetrymatters

Cathythoughts Mary Oliver ❤️ 3y
DivineDiana @cathythoughts Agree ❤️ 3y
50 likes1 stack add2 comments
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slategreyskies
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🌵 yes, I‘ve read and reread both Pride and Prejudice and also Madeleine L‘Engle‘s An Acceptable Time.

🌵 I think so, yes. I‘d like to say this isn‘t true, but sometimes cover art is what first draws me to pick up a book and read more about it.

🌵 All of Mary Oliver‘s books remind me of nature. They‘re so full of nature and animals. They‘re just amazing. She‘s known for having very few people in her poems.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for the tag!! I framed the last card you sent! So beautiful 💗💗 3y
MoonWitch94 Thanks for playing ☺️📚🌿 3y
32 likes3 comments
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GingerAntics
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I‘ve waited so patiently to get this book (luckily this will be my last Amazon purchase), but how much damage is acceptable before you request a replacement for a brand new book? Normally I‘d send it back, but I‘ve already had to send 3 back in the last month. I‘m feeling so torn.

TrishB No damage for a brand new book, that would drive me mad! 3y
GingerAntics @TrishB EXACTLY!!! It‘s driving me nuts!!! I feel like it‘s the principle of it. I bought a new book. It wasn‘t cheap. I should get a new book. This will just be the 4th book and 5th item I‘ve had to have them replace in the last month. I can‘t wait to get all of my stuff from this order and never have to deal with another book from Amazon again. 3y
GingerAntics @TrishB although, the one non-book item they had to replace was straight up the wrong item. It wasn‘t even close to what I ordered. 🤦🏼‍♀️ How is Amazon still in business? I just don‘t understand. 3y
TrishB I guess out of the millions of orders and the cheap wages they can afford the mistakes 🤷‍♀️ 3y
12 likes4 comments
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KimHM
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#poetrymatters #poetrytoday

📚❤️📚💙📚💚📚💜📚🧡📚💛📚❤️📚💙📚

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SabGinesi
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Mehso-so

This book was beautifully written and a few poems stuck with me. However, descriptive literature it‘s just not my cup of tea. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy descriptions of nature.

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SabGinesi
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After reading through Mary Oliver‘s “Devotions,” I was struck at how beautiful this poem is. I recently lost my dog, Stella, just over a month ago. I sometimes dream of her at night, and although the thoughts may not be true, they certainly are real to me.

CBee I‘m so sorry you lost Stella 🐾♥️ 3y
SabGinesi @CBee Thank you so much ☺️ 3y
MySharonaK I‘m sorry for your loss 😔 Sending a hug ❤️ 3y
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SabGinesi @MySharonaK I appreciate it! 💕 3y
Thousand-Lives I‘m so sorry. Losing a pet is so hard. ❤️ 3y
SabGinesi @Thousand-Lives It is! But I‘m happy I got to share 12 years of my life with her ☺️ 3y
11 likes1 stack add6 comments
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BookInMyHands
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Sitting in the sun while my pup watches the world outside, and I read Mary Oliver.
Enjoying the last day of my vacation.

Erinreadsthebooks Mary Oliver ❤️💯 3y
53 likes1 comment
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monalyisha
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I‘m planning to start a new morning meditation practice tomorrow; looking for some audio inspiration.

🙏🏻🌸🙏🏻

monalyisha For those interested, here are some suggestions I acquired elsewhere: Sara Teasdale, W.S. Merwin, Maxine Kumin, Diane Ackerman, Wendell Berry, Elizabeth Bishop (Go, Worcester! Hometown gal!), & the new Barbara Kingsolver. (edited) 3y
39 likes1 comment
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CBee
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I only recently discovered Mary Oliver and love her poetry! Gratitude for today:
1. A pep talk from my 8 year old
2. I‘m about to start my #LMPBC book!
3. Warm socks and blankets
#30daysofgratitude @jb72

madams421 one of my very favorites :) 3y
CBee @madams421 it‘s wonderful! If you have other poems of hers that you love, feel free to share them with me 😊 3y
jb72 Wonderful poem! Most 8 year olds give great pep talks! 3y
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CBee @jb72 I've been afraid to leave the house, to be honest. And he just told me - wear a mask, use hand sanitizer, and social distance! It's good he knows those things, but also sad in a way. Definitely a good talk - he said I have to be brave 💝 3y
jb72 @CBee That is so awesome of him. I do my normal errands, but I can‘t wear a mask because of my other health issues and it gives me an immediate migraine. So I had to get over any fear almost immediately. You can do it too. Like he said. Mask up and be brave! 😼 3y
CBee @jb72 thank you! I am working on it 😁😁 3y
59 likes6 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
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Cathythoughts Beautiful way to start the day ( morning here ) Thanks Jessie ❤️ 4y
TrishB Lovely ♥️ 4y
Nute Gosh, that‘s beautiful! 4y
Kalalalatja Lovely poem 👌 4y
TheSpineView So beautiful! ❤❤❤ 4y
51 likes5 comments
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TheBookHippie
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Exia
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Exia
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