New and Selected Poems, Volume One

When New and Selected Poems, Volume One was originally published in 1992, Mary Oliver was awarded the National Book Award. In the fourteen years since its initial appearance it has become one of the best-selling volumes of poetry in the country. This collection features thirty poems published only in this volume as well as selections from the poet's first eight books. Mary Oliver's perceptive, brilliantly crafted poems about the natural landscape and the fundamental questions of life and death have won high praise from critics and readers alike. "Do you love this world?" she interrupts a poem about peonies to ask the reader. "Do you cherish your humble and silky life?" She makes us see the extraordinary in our everyday lives, how something as common as light can be "an invitation/to happiness,/and that happiness,/when it's done right,/is a kind of holiness,/palpable and redemptive." She illuminates how a near miss with an alligator can be the catalyst for seeing the world "as if for the second time/the way it really is." Oliver's passionate demonstrations of delight are powerful reminders of the bond between every individual, all living things, and the natural world. When New and Selected Poems, Volume One was originally published in 1992, Mary Oliver was awarded the National Book Award. In the fourteen years since its initial appearance it has become one of the best-selling volumes of poetry in the country. This collection features thirty poems published only in this volume as well as selections from the poet's first eight books. Mary Oliver's perceptive, brilliantly crafted poems about the natural landscape and the fundamental questions of life and death have won high praise from critics and readers alike. "Do you love this world?" she interrupts a poem about peonies to ask the reader. "Do you cherish your humble and silky life?" She makes us see the extraordinary in our everyday lives, how something as common as light can be "an invitation/to happiness, /and that happiness, /when it's done right, /is a kind of holiness, /palpable and redemptive." She illuminates how a near miss with an alligator can be the catalyst for seeing the world "as if for the second time/the way it really is." Oliver's passionate demonstrations of delight are powerful reminders of the bond between every individual, all living things, and the natural world One of the astonishing aspects of [Oliver's] work is the consistency of tone over this long period. What changes is an increased focus on nature and an increased precision with language that has made her one of our very best poets. . . . These poems sustain us rather than divert us. Although few poets have fewer human beings in their poems than Mary Oliver, it is ironic that few poets also go so far to help us forward. V. 1. New poems (1991-1992). House of light (1990). Dream work (1986). American primitive (1983). Twelve moons (1979). Night traveler (1978). Sleeping in the forest (1978). Five poems not previously included in any volume: River Styx, Ohio and other poems (1972), No voyage and other poems (1963, 1965) v. 2. New poems 2004-2005 New poems (1991-1992) -- House of light (1990) -- Dream work (1986) -- American primitive (1983) -- Twelve moons (1979) -- Night traveler (1978) and Sleeping in the forest (1978), and five poems not previously included in any volume -- River Styx, Ohio and other poems (1972) -- No voyage and other poems (1963, 1965) Selections from: New poems (1991-1992) -- House of light (1990) -- Dream work (1986) -- American primitive (1983) -- Twelve moons (1979) -- Night traveler (1978) -- Sleeping in the forest (1978) -- The River Styx, Ohio and other poems (1972) -- No voyage and other poems (1963 and 1965) v. 1. v. 1. v. 1. v. 1. v. 1. v. 1. v. 1. v. 1. v. 1. v. 1.