Thirst: Poems by Mary Oliver
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Book Summary Author: Mary Oliver Edition: Paperback Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 2007-09-03 ISBN: 0807068977 Number of pages: 88 Publisher: Beacon Press |
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Book Reviews of the Thirst: Poems
Customer Review: Deist drift
Summary: 2 Stars
`Nature poetry' at its best is matching words and rhythms with life's infinite diversity of sounds and sights. It is a physical struggle of wit and often humour; it is raw, jarring, and at times red in tooth and claw. Mary Oliver has been a master of it - see her encounters with owls.
There is inherent danger with `nature poetry'. When words fail the poet he may be tempted to replace her curiosity with wonder, astonishment, and eventually mushy spirituality, or even mystic unity. As such poetry moves from long argument to disembodied deist sentiment it loses dimensions - it becomes kitsch (as Kundera would opine).
Mary Oliver's Thirst is the record of such deist drift and the result is disappointing. She does not have the frenzy mysticism of a Rumi. She does not affirm her unconditional love of God like St. Francis Hers is consolative - hence instrumental - poetry in a minor key.