Linda Kulp Trout

Thursday, January 17, 2019

In Honor of Mary Oliver

Her words touch my heart and fill me with wonder.  Her belief that poems "mustn't be fancy"  is just one of the many lessons she has taught me about writing.  Her poetry and interviews inspire me to take notice of the small everyday miracles of nature.   I have several collections of her writings on my bookshelf, but this poem has always been my favorite.  Whenever I get discouraged, the last two lines remind me that life is too precious and too amazing to waste.



A big thank you to my friend Trisha of The Miss Rumphius Effect for hosting today.










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17 comments:

  1. Michelle SchaubJanuary 18, 2019 at 6:22 AM

    Oh, that last line. So haunting and inspiring. Thanks for sharing this tribute, Linda!

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  2. Linda BJanuary 18, 2019 at 6:51 AM

    It is a special poem to remember always, Linda. She taught me that looking, and looking hard, was such a wondrous thing to do.

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  3. JoneJanuary 18, 2019 at 7:34 AM

    I love this. I love how Mary Oliver often used questions in her poetry. And it’s been wonderful to see the Poetry Friday community honor her today.

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    1. LindaJanuary 18, 2019 at 1:25 PM

      I'm enjoying all the posts Poetry Friday and FB posts about her. It shows how much her poems touched us.

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  4. TabathaJanuary 18, 2019 at 10:34 AM

    "At last, and too soon" -- Mary Oliver presents us with the conundrums and paradoxes of life, fitting together like a grasshopper eating out of your hand. <3

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  5. jamaJanuary 18, 2019 at 10:36 AM

    This is one of my favorites too -- that last line is the eternal question. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. LindaJanuary 18, 2019 at 1:27 PM

      Yes, the eternal question I often ask myself. Mary Oliver certainly found a way to spend her "one wild and precious life!"

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  6. Sue B.January 18, 2019 at 12:27 PM

    Beautiful!

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  7. skanny17January 18, 2019 at 3:36 PM

    Linda,
    Yes. Indeed, those words. Two lines embedded. Help, inspire, give pause, teach. It takes a poet and poetry, doesn't it. I will miss her in this world. Do you know my favorite, In Blackwater Woods?
    Janet Clare F.

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  8. KayJanuary 19, 2019 at 9:43 AM

    The world will miss Mary Oliver, but I am so grateful she leaves so much of herself for us to still learn from.

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  9. Buffy SilvermanJanuary 19, 2019 at 10:04 AM

    One of my favorites. A prayer that appeals to my atheistic sensibilities...Thanks for sharing it.

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  10. Whispers from the RidgeJanuary 19, 2019 at 10:38 AM

    This is one of my all time favorites. Thank you for sharing it today. She was truly a masterful creator.

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  11. Mary LeeJanuary 20, 2019 at 4:46 AM

    I'm so enjoying all the tributes to Mary Oliver. Thank you!

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  12. Carol VarsalonaFebruary 8, 2019 at 5:30 PM

    Another beautiful tribute to the late Mary Oliver with the great ending lines so well loved.

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