Special Episode: Tribute to Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver's "Dog Songs" is a collection of poems that celebrates the unique bond between humans and dogs. The poems capture the simple joys and profound connections found in this relationship. Oliver's keen observations of nature and her ability to find beauty in the everyday are evident in these poems. The collection explores themes of love, loyalty, and the passage of time. "Dog Songs" is a testament to the enduring power of companionship and the deep affection shared between humans and their canine companions.

House of Light is a collection of poems by Mary Oliver that invites readers to step beyond ordinary life into a realm of natural and spiritual luminosity. The book explores themes of nature, life, and the human condition, offering reflections on mortality, happiness, and the preciousness of life. It includes celebrated poems like 'The Summer Day,' which asks profound questions about how to live one's life fully.

Rainer Maria Rilke's Duino Elegies are a series of ten poems exploring profound themes of life, death, and the human condition. Written in free verse, the Elegies delve into the complexities of existence, grappling with feelings of isolation, longing, and the search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe. Rilke's evocative language and imagery create a powerful emotional resonance, inviting readers to confront their own existential questions. The poems' ambiguous nature allows for multiple interpretations, making them endlessly fascinating and rewarding to revisit. The Elegies remain a cornerstone of 20th-century literature, influencing generations of poets and writers.

First published in 1855, 'Leaves of Grass' is Walt Whitman's magnum opus and a cornerstone of American literature. The collection, which Whitman continued to revise and expand until his death, explores themes of identity, nature, democracy, and the human condition through free verse poetry. It is renowned for its innovative style and its celebration of the individual and the collective.

This collection, curated by Mary Oliver herself, includes poems from her entire career, from her first book 'No Voyage and Other Poems' (1963) to her most recent collection 'Felicity' (2015). The poems showcase Oliver's observations of the natural world, her spiritual reflections, and her exploration of themes such as happiness, prayer, and the preciousness of life. The book is arranged in reverse chronological order and offers a spiritual road map through Oliver's work, highlighting her exuberant dog poems, selections from 'American Primitive,' and 'Dream Work,' among others.