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Cover of Dog Songs by Mary Oliver

Dog Songs

  • 144 pages · about 2 hours
  • First published 2013
  • 6 editions

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1 About this book

Beloved by her readers, special to the poet's own heart, Mary Oliver's dog poems offer a special window into her world. Dog Songs collects some of the most cherished poems together with new works, offering a portrait of Oliver's relationship to the companions that have accompanied her daily walks, warmed her home, and inspired her work.

To be illustrated with images of the dogs themselves, the subjects will come to colorful life here. These are poems of love and laughter, heartbreak and grief. In these pages we visit with old friends, including Oliver's well-loved Percy, and meet still others.

Throughout, the many dogs of Oliver's life emerge as fellow travelers, but also as guides, spirits capable of opening our eyes to the lessons of the moment and the joys of nature and connection. Dog Songs is a testament to the power and depth of the human-animal exchange, from an observer of extraordinary vision.

Good for readers who want: poetry, dogs, and a short read.

  • Human-animal relationships
  • Dogs
  • Poetry

2 About Mary Oliver

1935–2019

Mary Jane Oliver (September 10, 1935 – January 17, 2019) was an American poet who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 and the National Book Award in 1992. She found inspiration for her work in nature and had a lifelong habit of solitary walks in the wild. Her poetry is characterized by wonderment at the natural environment, vivid imagery, spirituality, and unadorned language. Oliver is one of the best-selling poets in American history.

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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