Mary Oliver
- Born:
- September 10, 1935, Maple Heights, Ohio, USA
- Died:
- January 17, 2019, Hobe Sound, Florida, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Poet, Essayist
Early Life and Education
- Mary Oliver's early life and formative experiences are crucial context for understanding her work.
- She grew up in a small town outside Cleveland, Ohio.
- Experienced a difficult home life and sought solace in nature and writing from a young age.
- Began writing poetry as a teenager.
- Attended Ohio State University and Vassar College, but did not graduate.
Career and Major Achievements
- Oliver dedicated her life to writing and observing the natural world.
- She spent much of her adult life in Provincetown, Massachusetts, which heavily influenced her poetry.
- Won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1984 for her collection American Primitive.
- Received the National Book Award for Poetry in 1992 for New and Selected Poems.
- Awarded the Lannan Literary Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1998.
- Served as the Poet-in-Residence at Sweet Briar College and Bennington College.
Notable Works
- American Primitive (1983)
- Dream Work (1986)
- House of Light (1990)
- New and Selected Poems (1992)
- White Pine: Poems and Prose Poems (1994)
- West Wind: Poems and Prose Poems (1997)
- Swan: Poems and Prose Poems (2010)
- Felicity (2015)
Legacy and Impact
Mary Oliver's poetry is celebrated for its accessibility, its focus on the natural world, and its ability to offer moments of profound insight and spiritual connection. Her work continues to resonate with readers seeking solace and inspiration in the beauty and fragility of the natural world. Examining a mary oliver childhood biography reveals the origins of her deep connection to nature.