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foggy_rosamund 's review for:
Felicity: Poems
by Mary Oliver
Although this book touches on themes familiar to readers of Oliver's work, such as the natural world, transitory beauty, and spirituality, she also writes more candidly about romantic love than she has in the past. I found the first section of the book to be disappointing: the poems were, for me, too reminiscent of Oliver's poetry in both Blue Horses and A Thousand Mornings. Her poem "Roses", for instance, seems to be a less successful version of "I Go Down to the Shore" from A Thousand Mornings. I also found some of her shorter poems simply to pared down to be successful, for example, "Don't Worry", which I quote below in full.
Things take the time they take. Don't worry.
How many roads did St. Augustine follow
before he became St. Augustine?
However, I really enjoyed many of her poems about romantic and emotional intimacy, which comprise the second half of the book. They are more immediate, striking and engaging. Even the short poems work well here, for example the simple and beautiful, "I Did Think, Let's Go About This Slowly".
I did think, let's go about this slowly.
This is important. This should take
some really deep thought. We should take
small, thoughtful steps.
But bless us, we didn't.
I really appreciate the wry honesty of this poem. I was also charmed by "That Little Beast", a poem that personifies poetry as a little animal in Oliver's house, that runs around and demands attention, but when she thinks about her beloved it "sits down quietly, one paw under its chin, / and just listens." Oliver's work, here, remains full of energy and imagination.
Things take the time they take. Don't worry.
How many roads did St. Augustine follow
before he became St. Augustine?
However, I really enjoyed many of her poems about romantic and emotional intimacy, which comprise the second half of the book. They are more immediate, striking and engaging. Even the short poems work well here, for example the simple and beautiful, "I Did Think, Let's Go About This Slowly".
I did think, let's go about this slowly.
This is important. This should take
some really deep thought. We should take
small, thoughtful steps.
But bless us, we didn't.
I really appreciate the wry honesty of this poem. I was also charmed by "That Little Beast", a poem that personifies poetry as a little animal in Oliver's house, that runs around and demands attention, but when she thinks about her beloved it "sits down quietly, one paw under its chin, / and just listens." Oliver's work, here, remains full of energy and imagination.