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184th out of 975 books
—
1,008 voters
Thirst
by
Mary Oliver
Thirst, a collection of forty-three new poems from the Pulitzer Prize-winner Mary Oliver, introduces two new directions in the poet's work. Grappling with grief at the death of her beloved partner of over forty years, she strives to experience sorrow as a path to spiritual progress, grief as part of loving and not its end. And within these pages she chronicles for the firs...more
Hardcover, 88 pages
Published
October 15th 2006
by Beacon Press
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Mary Oliver possesses artistic genius. Her poetry is not comprised of convoluted structures, impenetrable meaning, or enigmatic symbolism. That is not to say that her work is not complex. Instead of pretension, Ms. Oliver wishes to touch the reader's soul. Ms. Oliver immerses one's senses into the locale or experience of which she writes. After a winter walk with Mary, "I'll stand in the doorway/stamping my boots and slapping my hands,/my shoulders/covered with stars." She takes me through woods...more
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I was happily surprised to find that a few of these poems were actually good. Most of Oliver tends to be long, prosey lists broken into lines wherein she names the things she's looking at in a field. I had started to suspect that she'd devised some kind of computer program to churn them out. The silver heron with its serpentine neck, the blaze of eastern sky...I sit motionless in this field for hours, long enough to notice: the spit bugs working their froth, the spiders in their glistening nets....more
Live long enough, live deep enough, and you will find, as Mary Oliver does in these 43 poems collected in "Thirst," that all grief edges joy, all joy is edged by grief. It is only in a deep and courageous immersion into life, and perhaps also that place beyond life, that one can fully experience this wonder, a kind of yin and yang, the light beside the shadow, phenomenon that is living with thirst, quenched or unquenched.
There is nothing pretentious about Oliver's poetry. She is simplicity and...more
There is nothing pretentious about Oliver's poetry. She is simplicity and...more
The reviews of this book tell me that Mary Oliver writes in these pages as if she has had an encounter with the Divine. Oliver is one of my all time favorite poets. Her poem Peonies is near the top of my list. She is attune to nature in such a delicious way. This book of poems is not surprise but what is - is the spiritual nature, namely Christian nature of this book - her spirituality is not in a general no name sense. With her delicate sensiblities toward the world of nature coupled with her a...more
Oliver may be the most widely read poet in America, and I think for good reason. She seems to do what seasoned poets should do--grab the reader with the most concise words possible. Oliver does this so well, that some of her poems might even seem overly simplistic. They're not.
Oliver is a lesbian who had the same partner for about 40 years. This collection was written after her partner's death. I suppose this is why these poems seem different than her other work. She also, throughout, explicitly...more
Oliver is a lesbian who had the same partner for about 40 years. This collection was written after her partner's death. I suppose this is why these poems seem different than her other work. She also, throughout, explicitly...more
I like Mary Oliver, and I'm not going to stop liking her just because I liked Thirst less than American Primitive and House of Light. I have read a lot in Dream Work, too, and will probably read the whole thing through this summer, so I get a sense of her again.
In Thirst, I respect the grief and the reverence for nature and nature's beauty, but the God thing feels too pointed to me. And I don't really mind when poets do their God thing--Lucia Perillo, Andrew Hudgins--it's their thing, their mate...more
In Thirst, I respect the grief and the reverence for nature and nature's beauty, but the God thing feels too pointed to me. And I don't really mind when poets do their God thing--Lucia Perillo, Andrew Hudgins--it's their thing, their mate...more
Mary Oliver’s book of poems, Thirst is the first of her books I have read. I have to say that it was not what I was expecting. At first, it seemed to be a collection of praise—praise of nature, of life, of God (a very specific one), but as I read on, it became evident that all of these poems seemed to hinge on grief. I found out that the collection was written shortly after the death of her husband and then things became clearer. Suddenly, the trees, flowers, alter linens, and birds all had some...more
Poet Mary Oliver has been recommended to me many times, but not until a friend once again brought her work to my attention did I become engrossed with her voice. I read Thirst, one of her more recent collections, through in one sitting, and want more. Her work shows a quiet voice in tune with nature and the spiritual world around her. Some of her poems are manifestly Christian, and are truly delicate psalms, brimming with light and honesty, and without the bulk or baggage of the Bible, but someh...more
This is Mary Oliver's latest book of poetry. Her work has clearly taken on a new direction. Many of the poems in this collection are blatantly religious; "God" is mentioned throughout. For that reason, many of the poems felt sentimental, and were lacking much of the brilliant nature imagery that made me fall in love with her work.
I read this in snatches while sitting by my dying grandmother's side this past autumn. The idea of grief as a kind of thirst made complete sense to me. In one way, grief is a thirst for knowledge, for more time, for more details or information about the dead person that may never be satisfied. In each poem, Mary Oliver always sets the scene with exactly the right details, but here, I felt like that artistry was a mere coincidence, and not the central aim; a by-product. She wrote this book after...more
What a lovely collection of poems. I cannot for the life of me understand what took me so long to discover Mary Oliver. Other than the fact that I've never been a huge fan of poetry. I've been impatient with it. I've been irritated by it. I tell the poet, "Get on with it". "Get to the point and stop dancing around what you want to say". Ugh. Then I was given my first volume and found that I got it, liked it, didn't have to reinterpret it. Now I'm hooked. Bought my second volume and ripped throug...more
I dog ear the page of every poem I love from this book. There are now more dog-eared pages than not.
To put it another way, I have committed...three? Four? Five? I think it's six of the poems from this book to memory, not because I tried to, but because I have read them so many times.
Another way to put it?
I have carried this book with me not only to India, Japan, and Turkey, but it also frequents my purse on any given day.
It's great; I love it. Read it. She's very accessible. Sentimental? Sure, b...more
To put it another way, I have committed...three? Four? Five? I think it's six of the poems from this book to memory, not because I tried to, but because I have read them so many times.
Another way to put it?
I have carried this book with me not only to India, Japan, and Turkey, but it also frequents my purse on any given day.
It's great; I love it. Read it. She's very accessible. Sentimental? Sure, b...more
Nov 17, 2011
Jamie
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Nature lovers, dog lovers, the grieving, religious people
Shelves:
my-best-and-favorites,
poetry
Grief, God, and the desire to keep moving forward in spite of the first and in search and celebration of the second are what characterize the poems in this volume. It is a departure from her previous poetry mostly because of the directly religious themes explored in multiple pieces, but one of my "favorite favorites" is in this book ("When I Am Among the Trees") and a few others as well: "A Pretty Song," "Messenger," "Logan International," and from "Walking Home from Oak Head," this passage abou...more
I now feel that I was grossly unfair with Sharon Old’s book “The Gold Cell,” because I disliked reading “Thirst” by Mary Oliver even more.
Although some poems were very nice, Poetry makes me roll my eyes and consider my options: to have convulsions or to bite the bullet (no pun intended) and get through the book. So here we are: one more down.
In conclusion, Poetry, like cod liver oil, is an acquired taste to be enjoyed in small doses; although one may not see an immediate benefit in trying it,...more
Although some poems were very nice, Poetry makes me roll my eyes and consider my options: to have convulsions or to bite the bullet (no pun intended) and get through the book. So here we are: one more down.
In conclusion, Poetry, like cod liver oil, is an acquired taste to be enjoyed in small doses; although one may not see an immediate benefit in trying it,...more
This volume has quite a few prayer/hymn-like poems. I did not expect her to be so overtly religious. Is it something that surfaced with grief over the loss of her life partner? Not being familiar with her entire body of work, I honestly don't know if she was already frequently addressing God and mentioning Eucharist. Of course, she doesn't do this in a conventional way, but weaves religion and nature together in a way that is playful and true to herself.
Anyway, so I've got a few more volumes to...more
Anyway, so I've got a few more volumes to...more
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Sep 28, 2007
Elizabeth
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
someone who needs and "instant" retreat.
What I learned from this book is that realizing the resposibility one has for one's soul is the apex of beauty. Mary Oliver as a woman, a poet, a lover, a friend, a nature buff, a metaphysician, a human creature in the 21st century, all of these qualities of herself come together in this intensely personal collection of poems. Thirst is the first book of hers to be published since her life-partner, Molly Malone, past away.
Once I got up the guts to read the book, (how does one read something like...more
Once I got up the guts to read the book, (how does one read something like...more
I am not a poetry enthusiast but I love, love, love Mary Oliver's deep-lived full immersion into life. She doesn't skim the top of the waves, she dives forcefully into them, lets the tide wrench and toss her body and soul, bursts through the top, gulping at the good air, experiencing every minute of the ride. . . . . but she also could write a poem watching a grain of sand for hours . . . maybe she has. Thanks, Father Michael for bringing her to my attention through a lenten study. Powerful stuf...more
Mary Oliver is one of those poets whose books I want to keep with me. Her words are advice and possibly a map for living. As such, I'm always sadly satisfied when a book ends. As such, I'm thankful for her prolific nature...there always seems to more (here also read as new and exciting) to read.
My favorite part of Thirst are the few poems - The Winter Wood Arrives, After Her Death, Percy (Four), Cormorants, What I Said at Her Service, A Note Left on the Door, Those Days, and (somewhat) A Pretty...more
My favorite part of Thirst are the few poems - The Winter Wood Arrives, After Her Death, Percy (Four), Cormorants, What I Said at Her Service, A Note Left on the Door, Those Days, and (somewhat) A Pretty...more
This was a re-read for me, about six years after the first time. In these poems Oliver explores both faith and grief. I remember identifying strongly with her poems about faith and especially the Eucharist. My favorite poem in the book was "Making the House Ready for the Lord," a good-humored reflection on the ways existence keeps pouring in while we are trying to get things right for God. The big difference this time is how I responded to her poems about her love for Molly Malone Cook and her d...more
Nov 23, 2008
Stephen Wainman
is currently reading it
I particularly like this:
Cormorants
All afternoon the sea was a muddle of birds
black and spiky,
long-necked, slippery.
Down they went
into the waters for the poor
blunt-headed silver
they live on. for a little while.
God, how did it ever come to you to
invent Time?
I dream at night
of the birds, of the beautiful, dark seas
they push through.
Mary Oliver
Cormorants
All afternoon the sea was a muddle of birds
black and spiky,
long-necked, slippery.
Down they went
into the waters for the poor
blunt-headed silver
they live on. for a little while.
God, how did it ever come to you to
invent Time?
I dream at night
of the birds, of the beautiful, dark seas
they push through.
Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver opened a reading I went to with her (then new) poem "Messenger," the first poem in Thirst. The poem's first line is "My work is loving the world." I had to keep myself from crying out loud from the audacity and recognition I felt in hearing that line. I'm a longtime fan of Oliver's, and I've asked that "Messenger" be read at my cremation.
Containing much praise, stillness and grief, these are poems written after the death of her partner . I feel that while she may have always had a certain faith in God, the death of Molly has given her reason to revisit that faith and draw it in for a closer look: "I hum the hymns / I used to sing / in church. / They could not tame me / so they would not keep me" but now she accepts them and their beauty allowing herself to be kept. These are really wonderful love poems.
Of all of her books, 'Thirst' continues to stand out the most for me. Mary Oliver captures the depth of the human experience through the quiet simplicity of observing nature and seeing herself, her joys, her struggles, and her mortality in every leaf and every breeze of her beloved New England home. Her poetry will be with me for my entire journey, no doubt.
This collection of poems is great to take on trips and pick up with you have 10 minutes. Just sink into the words. It allows you to think of your life, mediate on Oliver's words and bring the two together. It's beautiful all the way through. And a great book to quote if you want to sound smart.
I read these poems over and over again. The collection is a meditation on grief, among other things, and articulates emotions that I would have imagined were otherwise impossible to describe with words. And don't miss Mary Oliver's delightful poems about Percy, her dog, along the way.
What I'm most appreciating right now is how Mary Oliver writes about animals -- this would have been an interesting book for my Animals in Religion course at HDS. Not a perfect book by any means. Some of the poems were more prayer than poem. However, well worth the reading for the outstanding moments and for a new poem to add to my favorites -- "Making the House Ready for the Lord."
This book was published the year after the death of Oliver's lifelong partner. The poems reflect her grief, and they also show how her sense of the natural world helps her respond to it and work through it. Beautiful thoughts, beautifully expressed, and well worth reading.
The speaker's drive to face every loss, in order to face every facet of life, can allow for both a rose or a fist to become something inviting.
On a personal note, I would at least recommend "When The Roses Speak, I Pay Attention" to anyone who would be interested.
On a personal note, I would at least recommend "When The Roses Speak, I Pay Attention" to anyone who would be interested.
I read this book ever so slowly and marveled at Mary O's honesty about her grief and spiritual journey. She's a gift and her writing is a gift. I gave it to my daughter who's an acupuncturist. Uma reads it to patients, sometimes, during treatments.
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“Mary Oliver. In a region that has produced most of the nation's poet laureates, it is risky to single out one fragile 71-year-old bard of Provincetown. But Mary Oliver, who won the Pulitzer Prize in poetry in 1983, is my choice for her joyous, accessible, intimate observati...more
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“Mary Oliver. In a region that has produced most of the nation's poet laureates, it is risky to single out one fragile 71-year-old bard of Provincetown. But Mary Oliver, who won the Pulitzer Prize in poetry in 1983, is my choice for her joyous, accessible, intimate observati...more
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“Praying
It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.”
—
40 people liked it
It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.”
“from the complications of loving you i think there is no end or return. no answer, no coming out of it. which is the only way to love, isn't it? this isn't a playground, this is earth, our heaven, for a while. therefore i have given precedence to all my sudden, sullen, dark moods that hold you in the center of my world. and i say to my body: grow thinner still. and i say to my fingers, type me a pretty song. and i say to my heart: rave on.”
—
35 people liked it
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