Saturday, June 24, 2023

Mary Oliver on what we remember

 Yesterday’s note was about prose sentences that can be held in memory. The poet Mary Oliver made the same point about poetry:

People are more apt to remember a poem, and therefore feel they own it and can speak it to themselves as you might a prayer, than they can remember a chapter and quote it. And that’s very important, because then it belongs to you. You have it when you need it.


She also pointed out that poetry is close to singing, and of course we know songs by heart.

• Source: Krista Tippett interview “Mary Oliver: I got saved by the beauty of the world”;  On Being, Feb. 5, 2015.

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