Messenger

The poem “Messenger” by Mary Oliver was first published in 2006 as part of her collection of poems Thirst. Out of a lifetime total of almost 30 poetry collections, Thirst was one of Oliver’s later publications. “Messenger” is a free-form poem that resembles that of 19th century and romantic nature poetry. In “Messenger,” Oliver explores the simple joys of living with plants and animals with the purpose of drawing out natural, effortless beauty and gratitude in the face of mortality. This message is very much in keeping with the spirit of Oliver’s other works where she focuses on the intersection of nature and humanity. “Messenger” asks the reader to contemplate how to live life in a way that maximizes pleasure and joy and minimizes dwelling on things that don’t matter. This poem gently explores death, keeping with the serene nature scenes appearing throughout the poem.

Poet Biography

Mary Oliver was born in 1935 in Cleveland, Ohio and is one of America’s most prolific and best-selling poets. She published her first collection of poems, No Voyage, in 1963 at the age of 28. Oliver’s early works dealt almost exclusively with the natural world and were very rarely overtly personal.