C10. One Wild & Precious Life: The Writings of Mary Oliver

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” This is, perhaps, the most famous line in all of Mary Oliver’s poetry. Now, five years after her death, we’ll explore some of what made her own life “wild and precious.” Through writings, interviews and poetry readings from and about Oliver, we’ll explore the experiences and people that shaped her work: nature, books, inspiring writers, (St. Vincent Millay, Emerson, Wordsworth, Rumi), her beloved partner, Molly Malone Cook, and, of course, her irrepressible dog Percy. This course takes a broad look at Oliver’s work and does not repeat “Mary Oliver’s Search for God,” offered in Spring 2020; it can be enjoyed with or without the previous course.