pre-post, class date: 9/28/11; written date: 9/27/11

Mary Oliver's poetry is striking in the literary sense, yet also very intuitive to all that is literally of this earth. In Professor Corrigan's "Generative Tension Between "God" and "Earth" in Mary Oliver's Thirst" he very accurately sums up the "nature" of her work.

Though ALL of her writings are astounding, what I loved most about this weeks were excerpts from " Walking Home from Oakland" -

Whenever I get home- whenever-

somebody loves me there.

Meanwhile

I stand in the same dark peace as any pine tree...

Don't worry, sooner or later I'll be home.

Red-cheeked from the roused wind,

I'll stand in the doorway stamping my boots and slapping my hands,

my shoulders

covered with stars.