Analysis Of Singapore By Mary Oliver

Analysis Of Singapore By Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver's "Singapore."
The poem, "Singapore", by Mary Oliver advocates for respect for all types work. It is set in a
restroom at an international airport in Singapore. The poem has two characters, who are the poet and
a female toilet cleaner. The poem starts with the poet visiting a restroom at the international airport.
The poet finds a native woman kneeling and cleaning the toilet that has human excreta. The poet is
disgusted by this scenario. On the other hand, the toilet cleaner is embarrassed that the poet has
found her doing this "undignified" work. The poet uses this scene to pass a message that all types
work deserve respect. She uses imagery in her lines to express this message, which is discussed
below.
In the first stanza of the poem, the second line is an example of imagery. The poet writes, "a
darkness was ripped from my eyes" (Oliver 2). For centuries, artists have used "darkness" to portray
the image of ignorance or lack of knowledge. A perfect example is Plato's Allegory of the Cave,
where darkness depicts lack of knowledge. Similarly, in this poem, Darkness portrays the image of
ignorance. Therefore, the line, "a darkness was ripped from my eyes" (Oliver 2), means that
ignorance was cut from the poet's mind. She learnt a new thing that she did not know before this
encounter. The poet discovered that she should not discriminate people based on their work or
profession.
In the second stanza, the poet writes, "Disgust argued in my stomach, / And I felt in my pocket, for
my ticket" (Oliver 5–6). The line "disgust argued in my stomach" indicates feeling the poet had
upon seeing the cleaner cleaning the toilet. It implies the encounter was torrid such that the poet felt
nauseated. Additionally, the following line "And I felt in my pocket, for my ticket" (Oliver 6) further
stresses this feeling of disgust and pity. This encounter is the only one in Singapore that made the
poet feel her tickets in her pockets. It implies that the encounter made the poet feel lucky for not
living in Singapore where people had to clean toilets with human excreta.
In the third stanza, a lot of imagery is used. The significant ones are present in the seventh and
eleventh lines. In the first line, the poet writes, "A
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Crossing The Swamp By Mary Oliver
"Crossing the Swamp" In the poem "Crossing the Swamp" by Mary Oliver explains in detail of the
metaphoric swamp is either life or the surroundings of that moment of which the poem is being
taken place in, but could be taken both ways. Mary shows the many problems and how ugly life or
her personal surroundings really are. The opening line "Here is the endless wet thick cosmos,the
center of everything the nugget of dense sap..." (Oliver 1–5). The line could be investigated as a
never ending pool of trials and temptations, that could be reflected in the reader's life. Furthermore,
the Oliver says "My bones knock together at the pale joints, trying for foothold, fingerhold, mind
hold over such slick crossings,..." (Oliver 13–18). The author

Wild Geese By Mary Oliver
Unit 3 Portfolio
Assignment 1
Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver, is a poem that speaks deeply to many types of people with different
personalities. This poem encourages the reader to let go of their shame of guilt and rather they
should follow their heart, find the beauty, and become one with nature. Each and every one of us has
a place on this earth, and although we all go through times of despair, the sun keeps shining and the
earth keeps turning.
When reading "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver, I imagine the speaker being someone who has been
through some dark and hard times. I imagine them as someone who has had to "walk on their knees"
for a very long time, but has come out of it a stronger person, more in tune with themselves and with
nature. The message I get from this poem is one of encouragement. I myself, having been through
dark and difficult times it is easy for me to relate to this poem on a deeper level. Knowing from
experience, it is difficult to not let the darkness consume you during times of suffering and
depression, and it is almost impossible to not feel alone. While this poem recognizes those feelings,
it also brings hope to the reader. No, suffering does not have to last forever, nobody is completely
alone in this world, and we all have a place here on this planet.
While first reading this poem aloud, I read very slowly, taking numerous pauses. Just from the first
few lines of the poem, I felt that was the way it should be read. Just as it takes a great deal of

Mary Oliver Crossing The Swamp
In the poem, "Crossing the Swamp," by Mary Oliver, readers encounter a speaker who compares a
swamp to her life, and how she is stuck in the "swamp." The poet creates a helpless tone because the
speaker is explaining how life can make readers feel stuck and unable to get up from the low points
in life. The result is a poem that makes readers feel sad and disconcerting. "Crossing the Swamp"
depicts the feelings all humans endure at least once in their life–hardship; when a person faces
adversity and depressing times, the only thing to do is not quit because that struggle is preparing him
or her for a jubilant future. In communicating this view, the poet relies on imagery, tone shift,
consonance, and metaphor. In this poem, readers visualize how deeply the poet feels towards the
swamp and its connection to her life. The diction enhances the way the swamp is described such as,
"wet thick cosmos, the center of everything" indicating the swamp ... Show more content on
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The speaker says: "Here is the endless wet thick cosmos, the center of everything–the nugget of
dense sap, branching vines, the dark burred faintly belching bogs. Here is swamp, here is struggle,
closure. . ." (lines 1–11). Oliver suggests that when she is enduring a tough situation, she is walking
through the swamp. Additionally, the speaker also compares the swamp to "thick cosmos." Implying
that the swamp, or life, can be so confusing that a person will feel as if he or she is out in space and
lost, which depending on a person's life, this "lost" feeling can be indefinite. Moreover, in lines 32–
36, the speaker says: ". . .after all these years, could take root, sprout, branch out, bud–make of its
life a breathing palace of leaves." This metaphor is more cleverly hidden. It implies that after years
of hardship–of being stuck in the swamp–someone finally decided to let out a 'branch' for the
amelioration of

Spring By Mary Oliver
1. Spring by Mary Oliver is one of joy and happiness. The poem creates a refreshing and joyous
environment and mood. The poem itself is a definition and description of the wonderful season of
spring. I broke this poem into three parts to define its meaning and musical interpretation. The first
three lines create a quiet yet peaceful tone. It is almost like how any spring day begins: with the sun
rising and nature and its inhabitants awaken. This may be musically represented by slow tempo and
long duration notes. The second part of the poem is specifically from Line 4 to 10. This section of
the poem gives more life to the poem and increases the motion of what someone can imagine
happening. A dog is running but at the same time beasts are waking up from their dream. While
things are now gaining life and speed, there is still a slight feeling of drowsiness as one feels after
waking from a long sleep. To represent this musically, a faster tempo can be used. And also a
musical tone that elicits a lightening mood but at the same time a feeling of sleep and drowsiness.
And finally in the third part of the poem from Line 11 to 14 the tone has ... Show more content on
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It was important I maintain the meaning and essence of each part, specifically regarding their
tempos and types of notes used, but at the same time make sure that each part smoothly flows into
the next without any breaks or interruptions. One of the ways I used to combat this problem is use
half notes and whole notes to divide parts of the music that paired up with their respective parts of
the poem. I feel like half notes and whole notes allow the listener to return to a "mind phase" where
they can be introduced to other types of music or tones. By changing moods/tones while hearing
quarter or eighth notes, the listener is bothered by the abrupt changes while he or she is still "in the
zone" of one type of

The Gardening Of Poems By Mary Oliver
The Gardening of Poems
"But now I know more/ about the great wheel of growth,/ and decay, and rebirth"(Oliver). In the
poem Stanley Kunitz by Mary Oliver, the speaker talks about a man who she at first misunderstands,
but then realizes the reality about him. This man is Stanley Kunitz, who was the tenth Poet Laureate
of the United States, and inspired many people(Poetry Foundation). Although many admire Stanley
Kunitz, Mary Oliver admired him enough to write a poem about him, and how she wants to be as
great of a poet as Kunitz. Even though at first Mary Oliver had misunderstood how Kunitz would
work so ethically, and almost thought it was like magic. Oliver soon realized that it wasn't magic, it
had been hard work, which had make Kunitz such a phenomenal poet. Throughout the poem Oliver
describes a garden, and how hard this man works to make it beautiful, which makes sense on the
surface. When looking at the deeper meaning, the poem is about how hard work pays off and creates
beautiful works of art.
To start, is how Oliver had believed that Kunitz was like Merlin when it came to writing poetry. It
seemed to her that Kunitz was this amazing poet and it was effortless, just like magic. For example
Oliver stated, "but their own good lives,/ where petals float upward,/ their colors exploding,/ and
trees open their moist/ pages of thunder(8–12). These lines in the poem had been in the first stanza,
when Oliver had first misunderstood Kunitz's work ethic. When

Singapore Mary Oliver
Microtheme One The observation I found most interesting in the poem, "Singapore", by Mary
Oliver is an anomaly, in which she briefly deviates from the poem's initial setting and subject and
then seamlessly returns back to it. This interjection could at first be seen as nothing more than an
unwarranted description of what the author feels poems should entail– birds, waterfalls, and
happiness– but deeper analysis finds that this interruption is still applicable to the poem's overall
theme of life's peculiar inequity. This is because the desire to, "...stand in a happy place, in a poem"
that the author notes stems from her confusion and discomfort with the beautiful woman she finds
scrubbing toilets (line 13). She feels the pretty woman deserves

Singapore Mary Oliver
Social Misconceptions
Society misleads people to believe in social hierarchy: a wealthy man is perceived as better or more
worthy than a bus driver. The poem, "Singapore," by Mary Oliver attempts to expose the problem of
this misconception. The narrator is a traveler at an airport who encounters a woman cleaning the
restrooms, and is repulsed by the woman's work. An incomplete analysis of the poem might lead
readers to believe the main focus is the janitor and her work; however, in reality the message of the
poem lies in the speaker's revelation of her need for humility because of the insignificance of social
hierarchy.
The image of social class division arises almost immediately in the poem. The narrator or traveler
outranks the woman or ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The woman washes "something in a white bowl" and "disgust argued" in the narrator's stomach. The
speaker, distracted by the woman's social status, does not notice the woman's grace or beauty until
the woman smiles at her. The narrator later admits that "[the woman's] smile was only for [her]
sake." Disgust morphs into admiration as the narrator notices the care with which the woman works,
"not quickly nor slowly, but like a river." This comparison to nature reveals the purity and purpose
within the woman's work, and ignites the speaker's revelation that she needs humility. The woman's
hair is compared to the "wing of a bird," displaying the speaker's admiration because she assimilates
the woman and nature. The narrator's admiration and emotional connection to the woman parallels
the destruction of her belief in social status and order. The woman "loves her life" and has pride in
her job even though she is considered to be part of the lower class. The countenance of the woman
dissolves any preconceived notions the speaker had about social hierarchy. Society would say that
the woman is beneath the narrator; however, despite this, the speaker "wants her to rise up from the
crust and the slop." At this point, the narrator comes full circle from her disgust of the woman
cleaning slop in the toilets to wanting a better life for the woman, and ultimately she attains humility
by caring about someone society perceives as

Owls By Mary Oliver Essay
"Owls" by Mary Oliver is a complex and imaginative view of nature and an analysis of its beauty
and, at the same time, frightening aspects through the lens of Oliver. Throughout her story, Oliver
explores the paradoxical anomalies of nature: the beauty contrasted with the fear as well as the
complexity contrasted with simplicity. Using sensory language, parallel structure, and alliteration,
Oliver establishes her awe–struck yet cautious view of nature as a paradoxical masterpiece. The
reader can first determine Oliver's appreciation for nature through her vivid and crystal clear
imagery of the "great horned" through the night. With its "razor–tipped toes" and "hooked–beak,"
Oliver's descriptions of the great horned owl show her respect towards the owl, and in the same
vein, nature. Similarly, "the white gleam of the [snowy owl's] feathers" effectively indicates Oliver's
respect and positive attitude towards nature and its picturesque qualities. At the same ... Show more
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In the fields of flowers, Oliver describes her emotions as "I'm struck. I'm taken. I'm conquered."
This parallelism reveals her awe–stricken appreciation for nature as well as her overwhelming
emotion towards it. She is unable to clearly think and focuses solely on the fields due to its beauty
and charm. She "can't move", is "restless", and is "replete, supine, finished, filled to the last edges
with an immobilizing happiness." Although these lines describe her happiness, Oliver contrasts this
sections with lines earlier in the passage, expressing her fear of nature. This repetition of "They are"
in describing the owl and its predator tendencies, she expresses fear and respect. Similarly, the lines
"even skunks, even cats" show the greatness of the owl and truly show the intimidation of the owl
and, in the same way,

Mary Oliver Journey
Mary Oliver is an American Poet born in 1935. She first started writing poetry at the age of 14, and
has won two awards for her work. Her early influence came from visiting the home of Edna St.
Vincent Millay at the age of 17. She is known for her clear observances of the nature within the
world in her work. Mary Oliver prefers for her poetry to speak for her and keep to herself; in this
regard, many have compared her to Emily Dickinson. She wrote the poem The Journey in 1986
which featured in her book Dream Work.
'The Journey' by Mary Oliver is about the journey one takes through life in order to become an
individual. From the beginning of the poem the speaker focuses on the need to leave behind what is
bad and wrong and harmful and start out on a new path. "The voices around us" this talks of the
voices of society, that do nothing but "shout their bad advice". This suggests that we live in a world
where in order to be "normal" we must obey to society and must live how everyone else wants use
to. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I feel that this illustrates the concept that life is flowing without breaks. The also lack of stops at the
end of lines also suggests this. Within the line "But you didn`t stop" the author explains that the road
to victory is to continue our journey and continue our life path. Because of lack of stanzas, we move
faster through the poem creating a tension feel to the poem.
The speaker urges us to realise that we should choose our own path and follow that instead of
society's path. The voices then go on to say "Mend my life! each voice cried". There are always
people in need of care, the speaker feels that they can't escape others life's and others opinions. They
feel that they don't have her own voice and life. But we must continue our journey of success even
with their "melancholy"

Mary Oliver Extended Metaphor
Mary Oliver is using an extended metaphor about the swamp by defining it as being a closure and a
struggle plus it's "the center of everything." The author of the poem grabs the reader's attention with
the phrases about knocking of the bones classifying the journey as something that doesn't relate to
physical moves but to mental actions for solving lifetime problems. Mary Oliver is building up the
relationship between the person and the swamp basing on the fear and then she develops this feeling
into a new form that is not negative. There's a line proving the transmission of the feelings, "I feel
not wet so much as painted and glittered". The manifestation of appearance change characterizes the
change in mind and soul. It can be called a feeling of rebirth ... Show more content on
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The main character is not wet anymore, so there's no negative attitude to the swamp. Being painted
and glittered means a new page of someone's life that has suffered from problems before. A person
can start a new life only after a certain dirt that will spoil everything at first. Mary Oliver uses an
extended metaphor to express very complicated obstacles that every human faces sooner or later.
This situation can lead someone to a success while it will kill the mind and soul of another person.
The author uses the consonance "foothold, fingerhold, mindhold" to make them sound as an
important message about the mental obstacle despite the fact it's a physical one. The phrase
"cosmos, the center" is placed on a separate line that represents a specific dilemma that a person
faces. It's the key phrase of the poem that is supported by the words "is struggle" and "closure." The
poem ends with the phrase "palace of leaves" that indicates the full transformation of the personality
that has overcome the complicated situation in life and a new beautiful world appeared in front of
him or

In the poem "Crossing the Swamp" by Mary Oliver, who creates a metaphorical idea of the
difficulties faced when crossing a swamp to the difficulties of making it through life. Using vivid
imagery, enjambment, alliteration, and metaphor in the open form, Oliver depicts her rejuvenating
experience of struggling with life while coming out victorious. Oliver starts off by using imagery to
describe the struggle with the swamp as a sense of hardship, and challenge. Her descriptions utilizes
dark diction such as "endless," "wet," "dark," "pale," "black," "slack," "pathless," "seamless," and
'peerless", which gives the reader a sense of hopelessness and despair. Oliver also uses enjambment
to emphasize the swamp as a never ending trail and symbolize

The Tyger Mary Oliver Essay
Mary Oliver was just 28 years of age when she first published her first book titled No Voyage and
Other Poems in 1963. During the 50's she studied at Ohio State University and Vassar College, but
did not attain a degree. She did however, meet her partner of almost 50 years, Molly Malone Cook.
While together, Oliver's love for nature and words thrived for the last 60 or more years, even after
the death of her partner in 2005 (About Mary Oliver). Susan Salter Reynolds, in the Los Angeles
Times Book Review, took notice that Oliver's earlier poems are almost always about nature, never
personal. It is in her later works, after the death of her partner, that she noticed her presence stating,
"This self–consciousness is a rich and graceful addition" ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
During this time William Blake voiced his opinion against "oppressive institutions like the church or
the monarchy, or any and all cultural traditions–sexist, racists, or classist–which stifled imagination
or passion" (The Tyger). Many scholars viewed "The Tyger" as a dangerous piece because dances
with religious dogma. However, this poem is one of Blake's many mirroring pieces of work. He
wrote this poem in conjunction with his other poem called, "The Lamb." "The Tyger" was written
for Blake's poetry collection called Songs of Experience. In the historical analysis I read that "The
Tyger" was written to express Blake's view on human's natural ferocity through comparison with a
tiger in the jungle, an opposite depiction of the innocence found in "The Lamb". We see this ferocity
directly in lines 5–8, "In what distant deeps or skies, Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings
dare he aspire? What the hand, dare seize the fire?" This poem echoes the visions Blake had when
he was a child. It appeals to the God as a song of understanding. He develops his passion for all
things pure, raw and innocent through "The Tyger's" descriptive imagery. Imagery such as "When
the stars threw down their spears, And water'd heaven with their tears" brings closure to Blake's
desires to provoke a sense of humanism in the

Mary Oliver Journey
In the poem "The Journey", Mary Oliver demonstrates how an individual must undergo a
transformation through life in order to find oneself. Judging by the title itself, the poem will convey
a sense of struggle and achievement a human being will face through the obstacles of life. In the
beginning of the poem, Mary Oliver states "one day you finally knew what you had to do". This
assures the audience that they ultimately know what is best for them and should choose their own
path to follow. Although it may be intimidating to find your own voice with a society that "voices
around you" and "keeps shouting their bad advice", it is best to avoid listening to them and move
forward in order to progress in life. Mary Oliver continues to suggest the idea of not giving up and
moving forward through life ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In general, everyone encounters difficulties throughout life but these problems should not stop us
from achieving greatness as well as define us. Instead we should continue to follow the path to find
your inner voice by not looking back at the past because "little by little" the journey will become
easier. The sense of realization is demonstrated when Mary Oliver says "stars began to burn through
the sheets of clouds". The uncertainty of leaving the voices from society is forgotten once the
individual realizes that we must recognize our own voice in order to live a healthy and joyful life.
As we continue to comprehend the meaning behind the obstacles, we begin to realize that our so
called discovered new voice has "kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the
world". Mary Oliver ends the poem by stating that "the only thing you could do ... the only life you
could save". These two lines suggest that everyone has an inner voice but it takes willingness to
break away from society and determination to find yourself throughout the

Mary Oliver
Robert Frost is a widely known New england poet. He is famous for writing about nature and using
vivid imaginary. Mary Oliver was born in Ohio and attended college but did not receive a degree.
She focused on depicting nature as coexisting with humans and she wrote in a straightforward
manner. The poem "The Road not Taken" by Robert frost not only shows change through the
conflict of nature but also shows human intentions. In contrast, "Autumn Song" by Mary Oliver
shows humans coexist with nature and that humans make decisions based on instincts. The poem
"The Road not Taken" by Robert Frost opens by a conflicting problem. "Two roads diverged in a
yellow wood,/And sorry I could not travel both/And be one traveler" (Frost). The narrator ... Show
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The poem begins by describing the leaves during fall. "In the deep fall / don't you imagine the leaves
think how / comfortable it will be to touch / the earth instead of the / nothingness of the air and the
endless / freshets of wind" (Oliver). Oliver begins by engaging the reader. She also creates this
image of fall and an atmosphere of peace. Then the poem transitions into talking about fall. "And
don't you hear the goldenrod whispering goodbye, / the everlasting being crowned with the first
tuffets of snow" (Oliver). The flowers being dying, but the poem does not emotionally transition.
There is still the calming effect by saying "whispering goodbye". She is showing how the change to
winter is simple and is based on instinct. A metaphor to life and how change should be positive and
more instinct than intention. Douglas Burton–Christie states, "she seeks instead to understand how
and where the natural world takes root within us, how we are challenged and even transformed in
the process of wakening to nature's soulful presence" (1996). Burton–Christie analyzes Oliver's
poem as nature being apart of humans and events like winter happen instinctively. The poem ends
by describing the firewood. "And at evening especially, / the piled firewood shifts a little, / longing
to be on its way" (Oliver). This suggest that humans eventually return to the natural

Mary Oliver Identity
Over one hundred years ago, transcendentalist poet Ralph Waldo Emerson declared, "To be yourself
in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."
Throughout time his message remains applicable as society attempts to conform everyone to its
standards. The secular population tends to wrestle with the idea of individualism, like Emerson,
alongside the idea of amounting to society's uniform expectations. Today's society sends out mixed
messages; one encourages each person to embrace their uniqueness, and another message promotes
the similarities between everyone. By establishing conflicting viewpoints, many people struggle to
find an identity. Mary Oliver's poem, "The Journey," explores the inner ... Show more content on
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The movement displays the transformation of influences on the subject in the poem. In the
beginning, "the voices around you / kept shouting / their bad advice––" (3–5), showing that the
subject is often manipulated by other people around her. At the end of the poem, "there was a new
voice / which you slowly / recognized as your own" (27–29). The movement of the source the
voices come from contributes to the idea that at the start, the person listens to other voices for
guidance in shaping her identity, but in the end, she travels along a journey to eliminate those "bad"
influences. She manages to replace the voices with her own voice, symbolizing her beliefs and
thoughts, therefore creating her own unique identity. Movement appears again as the speaker fights
the battle of self–identification. The same line appears in the beginning, middle, and end of the
poem. The first time, "you finally knew / what you had to do" (1–2), creates the realization of the
need to break away from the past's influences.The second time, "But you didn't stop. / You knew
what you had to do" (12–13), expresses the struggles one must overcome to escape. The last time
the statement occurs, it reads, "determined to do / the only thing you could do–– / determined to
save / the only life you could save" (33–36). The last line acts as a strong finalizer because the
subject moves from timid realization to determined

In the poem," Crossing the Swamp," by Mary Oliver, she stands looking at the path that lies beyond
her, sinking slowly in the "succulent marrows of earth." Her correspondence with the perpetual
quagmire comes to a standstill as she branches out toward headway. With every silent step toward
the "fat grassy mire," Mary shows small glimpses of her internal battle. To start, Mary carries the
reader on the journey toward recovery by exhibiting enjambment. She states, "Here is the endless
wet thick cosmos, the center of everything– the nugget of dense sap, branching vines, the dark
burred faintly belching bogs." As she approaches the thought of redefining herself, it is as though
she cannot turn back. Mary unveils to the reader her refuge from the

In the poem, "Crossing the Swamp," the poet Mary Oliver expresses her differentiating views on
life. By utilizing descriptive imagery, metaphors, and distinctive tones, Oliver was able to develop a
connection between everyday life to a swamp. To show her initial feelings towards the swamp,
Oliver conveys a solemn tone, but later on, she modifies her tone to correspond with her new view
of the swamp. Initially, she describes the swamp to be a "struggle, closure, pathless, seamless,
peerless mud." The usage of words such as struggle and peerless give the impression that the swamp
is a place of hopelessness where only hardships exist. Consequently, this gives the poem a tone of
somber and solemn. Although, the shift in tone towards the end ... Show more content on
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As Oliver goes on to state that the swamp is predominantly "endless wet thick cosmos," it can be
interpreted that the swamp, or in other words, life, is full of possibility and an unlimited amount of
options. Furthermore, the description of the swamp being a "struggle, closure, pathless, seamless,
peerless, mud," is a short metaphor that represents the hardships one can experience in life as the
words struggle and pathless are words often applied to describe a hardship. As Oliver also goes onto
comment that her "bones knock together at the pale joints" in the attempt for "foothold, fingerhold,
and mindhold" over what she illustrates to be "deep hipholes, hummocks that sink into the black,
slack earthsoup," the reader can infer that Oliver has experienced struggle in life. Her bones
knocking together represent her attempt to face the deep hipholes and the deep hipholes can be
interpreted as challenges that one can experience in life. So in other words, this quote can be seen as
how people like Oliver attempt to face the challenges they experience in life. As the poem continues,
Oliver states that the swamp has the power to allow someone to sprout or in other words, grow to
become a better person. Moreover, Oliver had attempted to say through her poem that life is full of
possibility and challenges, but once people overcome those challenges, they can improve as

Mary Oliver's Poetry By Mary Oliver
How do authors generate ideas when writing? Many authors shape their works by reflecting on
occurrences in their lives. While some utilize positive occurrences, more often than not, poets
incorporate unpleasant experiences in their compositions. Mary Oliver exhibits this technique by
incorporating her tough childhood into her poetry. "...with words, I could build a world I could live
in. I had a very dysfunctional family, and a very hard childhood. So I made a world out of words.
And it was my salvation" (Shriver). As a result of her sufferings, Oliver also turned to nature for
inspiration. Mary Oliver's works focused on her observations in nature, which provided an escape
from reality. Mary Oliver's experiences in life profoundly influenced ... Show more content on
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Oliver writes about child molestation: "You are the dark song/of the morning/serious and slow/you
shave, you dress/you descend the stairs/in your public clothes.../But you are also the red song/in the
night/stumbling through the house/to the child's bed/to the damp rose of her body/leaving your bitter
taste" ("Rage" 1–16). It is obvious the child feels violated and victimized by this despicable act.
Oliver vividly describes how this traumatic experience shaped this child's adult life: "and you see
how the child grows/timidly, crouching in corners/...you hear the most mournful cry" ("Rage" 22–
25). Oliver suppressed these feelings of abuse for a very long time and not knowing what to do, for
she feared her oppressive father and felt that she was the one to blame. Sexual abuse is very painful
to deal with, especially when you have no one to turn to seek comfort and help. It took years of her
life to learn how to love and be loved in return. It is truly remarkable that from such darkness in her
childhood, Oliver emerged stronger, braver, and more trusting. She successfully liberated herself
from such tragic experiences, and serves as a role model in

Crossing The Swamp By Mary Oliver
What do you think of when picturing a swamp? In "Crossing the Swamp" by Mary Oliver, the
speaker views the swamp as challenging and difficult but gradually realizes the beauty of it as well.
Using imagery and parallelism, Oliver focuses on how the speaker feels about the swamp and how
that changes over time. The parallelism in this poem points out how confused the speaker felt.
"pathless, seamless, peerless mud..." (12–13) as well as "...for foothold, fingerhold, mindhold..."
(16–17) describe how lost and mixed up the speaker feels while in the swamp. The parallelism does
not continue on towards the end of the poem though, as the tone switches to one of optimism and
courage. To highlights the change in heart the speaker has when thinking of the

Poetry, more than any other writing style, is filled to the brim with literary devices. These devices
are used by the author to communicate their story. Mary Oliver's, "Crossing the Swamp," is a tale of
one person's struggles in crossing a swamp. Mary uses the techniques of descriptive language,
metaphors, and personification to develop the relationship between the speaker and the swamp.
Overflowing her poem with the details of her vision, Oliver effectively transports the reader into the
story being told. "My bones knock together at the pale joints, trying for a foothold, finger hold,"
(line 13). The speaker in this story is struggling for what seems like endlessly, describing to the
reader the exact torture that his/her body is experiencing. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
According to the speaker, the swamp is "endless wet thick cosmos, the center of everything," (line
1). The implication that this swamp is the center of everything can allude to how long the speaker
may have been engulfed within it. It seems as if he/she has reached a point in which the swamp is
infecting his/her mind as much as it is taking over the body. The speaker even begins to compare
him/herself to "a poor dry stick given one more chance by the whims of the swamp water." (line 28).
This person, in beginning to view him/herself as part of the swamp, communicates to the reader
effectively describing the direness of the situation, and the point of return that seems to be slipping
away. Furthermore, Oliver uses personification to give the swamp human qualities. These human
traits allow the reader to think of the swamp is an aware entity that is consciously acting, just as
humans do. When it says, "the dark burred faintly belching bogs," (line 6) Mary shows how the
swamp has gone through difficulty just as the speaker has. The speaker also mentions how the
swamp has given "one more chance by the whims," (line 30) to him/her. This shows how the swamp
has the ability to affect someone else, namely the speaker, in a way that another human could, by
granting another

Wild Geese By Mary Oliver
Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver, is a poem that speaks deeply to many types of people with different
personalities. This poem encourages the reader to let go of their shame of guilt and rather they
should follow their heart, find the beauty, and become one with nature. Each and every one of us has
a place on this earth, and although we all go through times of despair, the sun keeps shining and the
earth keeps turning.
When reading "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver, I imagine the speaker being someone who has been
through some dark and hard times. I imagine them as someone who has had to "walk on their knees"
for a very long time but has come out of it a stronger person, more in tune with themselves and with
nature. The message I get from this poem is one of encouragement. I myself, having been through
dark and difficult times it is easy for me to relate to this poem on a deeper level. Knowing from
experience, it is difficult to not let the darkness consume you during times of suffering and
depression, and it is almost impossible to not feel alone. While this poem recognizes those feelings,
it also brings hope to the reader. No, suffering does not have to last forever, nobody is completely
alone in this world, and we all have a place here on this planet.
While first reading this poem aloud, I read very slowly, taking numerous pauses. Just from the first
few lines of the poem, I felt that was the way it should be read. Just as it takes a great deal of time to
work through difficult

Mary Oliver Quotes From Upstream
Mary Oliver's successful book Upstream explores Oliver's love and devotion to nature. She would
spend most of her time outdoors. Making her different than a lot of other people. But Oliver states
that it's okay to be different. Everyone is expected to follow a path, and some people choose to
follow their own path. And do the things they love even though people might view that activity or
hobby as unnormal. Oliver uses this book to show that she was judged for being different, but didn't
let that affect her. She enjoyed being outside and didn't care what people thought. In today's society
being different is viewed as a bad and unethical thing, but Oliver wants people to know that there's
nothing wrong with it. Otherness is defined as the quality or ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
When Oliver was a child she had two things she loved to participate in: going outside and writing.
In this quote, Oliver is saying that participating in activities like going out into a field, and reading a
book can help anyone. When Oliver was a child she would do those activities, being outside helped
inspire her writing. This led to her traveling into random parts of forest and fields. In the chapter
"Winter Hours" Oliver has an interesting encounter with black oak trees. She states "I don't say this
lightly– that the great black oaks knew me. I don't mean they knew me as myself and not another–
that kind of individualism was not in the air– but that they recognized and responded to my presence
and mood..." (151). She stated that the woods became her new home. She felt the warmth that a
house would give you. Leading Oliver to believe that the trees knew her so well that they started to
feel her presence, giving her serenity and peace whenever she was in the woods. Giving the

Analysis Of The Journey By Mary Oliver
Radiant rays of light shine into our life everyday, pouring it's joy into our souls. Day in and day out,
this light keeps our heart dancing to the music of our souls. Until one day the rays begin to dim, our
flowers start to weep, the birds lose their will to fly, and all we can feel is our hearts growing heavier
and heavier, sinking like a stone in our empty chest. Then one day, when we look up at our once
beautiful blue–green sky, all that's visible are the thickest storm clouds wrapping their way around
the sun, suffocating our radiant sky in it's dark deadly grasp. The clouds seemed to form out of thin
air, appearing without warning, and giving no time for us to blow them away. This suffocating cloud
effects our life, our soul, and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Throughout this poem metaphors are often used as well. In this poem the author compares the
emotions she experiences to trembling houses, and roads covered in stones and rocks. These
metaphors give our complicated ideas and emotions in our head a physical form. It allows us to
visualize our struggles, and clears the murky water in our lives. Once we can visualize something
troubling, it becomes easier to identify the problems we should change in our lives to become
happier.
Another interesting aspect of this poem is the point of view of the narrator. I noticed in this poem
she had decided to use a word that flipped the script, she wrote in a way that allowed the reader to
walk in the shoes of the author. The word that changed the feel of the entire poem was the word
"you." This word create a feeling as if the reader was actually there experiencing what Mary Oliver
was experiencing. If someone were to tell me that one word used throughout a poem could change
the entire feel, I would think they were crazy. But, after reading The Journey, I realized it created a
feel that was easier for readers to relate, and understand.
The meaning of this poem may not seem obvious at first, but after realizing the messages this
beautiful poem can hold, the meaning will be easy to comprehend. Although, there are multiple
ways to interpret this poem, but today I will only discuss the meaning I believe. In my opinion this
poem is referring to how getting trapped with living through

Wild Geese Mary Oliver
In the poem, "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver, the poem is open for interpretation by the reader
evoking reflection on their life and experiences. I believe the meaning of the poem is the
combination of personal life relevant from the past, present, and events which may happen in the
future. The poem demonstrates the demonstrate the simplicity of life through personification of
animals and humans being similar in their needs due to the environment, the use of imagery to
demonstrate excitement of accomplishment, and relates to the environment in which the author uses
imagery and personification to bring out the best in yourself through your imagination similar to the
way the author accomplished with the poem. First, the author, Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver 'American Primitive'
In the poem from American Primitive, Mary Oliver illustrates a relationship between the speaker
and the swamp that develops from an adversarial relationship into one of hope and success. Using
sound devices, imagery, tonal shift, and allegory, Oliver establishes the dynamic relationship of the
speaker and the swamp that describes the difficulties of life. In the beginning, Oliver describes the
swamp as a struggle–a "pathless, seamless, [and] peerless mud" where the speaker is unable to gain
a "foothold, fingerhold, [or] mindhold" of himself. By repeating "less" and "hold" in the descriptive
lists, Mary Oliver emphasizes how frightening the swamp is, and that it is a mental obstacle as well
as a physical one. Oliver also uses alliteration

The Journey By Mary Oliver
How do authors generate ideas when writing? Many authors shape their works by reflecting on
occurrences in their lives. While some utilize positive occurrences, more often than not, poets
incorporate unpleasant experiences in their compositions. Mary Oliver exhibits this technique by
incorporating her tough childhood into her poetry. "...with words, I could build a world I could live
in. I had a very dysfunctional family, and a very hard childhood. So I made a world out of words.
And it was my salvation" (Shriver). As a result of her sufferings, Oliver also turned to nature for
inspiration. Mary Oliver's works focused on her observations in nature, which provided an escape
from reality. Mary Oliver's experiences in life profoundly influenced ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
"The Journey" is one long stanza with no clear rhyme pattern, and the lengths of the lines vary, thus
creating a dramatic effect. Oliver integrates both short and long lines in this poem, which again
reflects adversities in life. Oliver's word choice is intentional. She incorporates repetition in her
poetry, especially in "The Journey," to emphasize the contrast in her thoughts. The word "though" is
repeated four times at the beginning of the poem, "though the voices around you/ kept shouting/their
bad advice", "though the whole house/ began to tremble", "though the wind pried/with its stiff
fingers", and "though their melancholy/was terrible" ("The Journey" 3–7, 14–15, 17–18). The word
"though" is used to begin a line, creating a negative image. As the poem progresses, the word
"determined" replaces the word "though." Oliver repeats this word two times, "determined to do/the
only thing you could do/determined to save/the only life you could save" ("The Journey" 33–36).
This demonstrates that persistence and strength of mind will lead to

The Soul By Mary Oliver Summary
From the earliest philosophical debates to the latest scientific research and experiments, the issue of
inner being or soul is unanswerable yet. Such spiritual mysterious like the eternal connection
between creatures in nature is a favorite theme among poets. In this poem, Mary Oliver
demonstrates the ideology that soul and consciousness are not uniquely for humans. The main
themes continue to be the intersection between the human and the natural world, as well as the limits
of language in articulating such a meeting. Although she has been criticized for writing poetry that
assumes a dangerously close relationship of women with nature, she is only strengthened through an
immersion with nature. Writing while walking around the woods, Mary is the kind of person who
scribbles but shared it. Manifesting her experience of touch and feel does a great job to sum of our
reality. The listener is affected by her language and certainly feel more attached to the environment
and the mother earth.
The poet deliberately illustrates the reality of the soul using visual examples to indicate a better
understanding of spirit which is subjective. For instance, selecting iron as a symbol of solid element
requires a great vision which makes an invisible reality more sensible. By giving tangible examples
of other animals, she tries to open the reader's mind that they should experience the similar thoughts
about their existence. In addition to the wild nature, inanimate objects look alive with soul

Throughout "Crossing the Swamp", Mary Oliver compares life's obstacles and hardships with the
conditions of a swamp. She eventually displays that success and elation could not occur if not for
hardships. Oliver tries to bridge the gap between the idea of crossing a swamp and the journey of
life itself. She skillfully utilizes a fractured and varied structure, swamp–like imagery, and a change
in tone to reveal that without hardship, success would not be possible. Firstly, Mary Oliver uses a
fractured and unique structure to show that hardships must be present in order for one to attain
success. The poem is structured in such a way so that it starts off describing the struggles of crossing
a swamp and life in general. For example, Oliver states, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The author uses her tone in a similar fashion to her imagery throughout the work. The words
"pathless", and "peerless" are used to describe the mud which shows that she has no direction in life
similarly to her difficulty crossing the swamp. No one in life tells you the direction that must be
taken or what steps must be taken in order to attain success. This can be compared to Oliver's
encounter with the swamp as she has difficulty getting passed it. Oliver describes the swamp as
having "such slick crossings, deep/ hipholes, hummocks/ that sink silently/ into the black, slack/
earthsoup" (18–22). This dark tone demonstrates how Oliver is trying to escape the grasp of the
swamp but she sinks into the earth. The tone used by the author then shifts to a more positive and
comforting sense. The words "painted" and "glittered" demonstrate a feeling of rebirth after facing a
difficult challenge. It also represents a new chapter in the author's life as she is no longer wet and
has overcome her past troubles. The transformation of a person's personality can only occur when a
complicated situation is overcome. The once dry stick is described with the words sprout, branch
out, and bud which once again shows how the tone shifts to optimistic and cheerful. The shift in
tone from depressing to cheerful clearly helps Oliver convey her

Imagery In Owls By Mary Oliver
In the excerpt "Owls", by Mary Oliver. Oliver uses vivid imagery to communicate both sides of
nature, the light and beauty; and the dark and frightening reality. Both parts terrifying when in
excesses, but when each is balanced, they create nature. For the dark and terror–filled reality of
nature. Oliver describes the "pure wild hunters of the world", the great horned owl. When describing
the owl, Oliver uses vivid imagery to allow for the reader to understand and imagine the dark and
grueling aspects nature has. For example, in lines seventeen to twenty–one Oliver describes the
many triumphant kills of the great owl and states, "I have found the headless bodies of rabbits and
bluejays, and known it was the great horned owl that did them in, taking the head only, for the owl
has insatiable craving for the taste of brains". The killings described aren't the average run of the
mils, death. The owl beheads his prey, a cruel and inhumane method of death. This description
instills the same fear for the great horned owl that Oliver feels during this experience. Oliver wants
us, the reader to grasp this part of nature, "in which terror is naturally and abundantly part of life". ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Oliver uses flowers which she describes inline forty–five as, "the red and pink and white tents of
softness and nectar, which wafts and hangs everywhere–– a sweetness so palpable and excessive
that, before it, I'm struck, I'm taken, I'm conquered". This still beauty's power has the author taken in
by them and is filled with immense happiness. The imagery of the flowers used here not only
captures the beauty of the flowers but serves as a contrast to the previous dark imagery of the owl.
However, an abundance of these flowers creates an excessive feeling of happiness, a euphoria, a
delusion, an "immutable force". Both the great horned owl and the flowers make up nature, yet
when each is in excesses, the result is

Mary Oliver The Swimming Lesson
More Than Just a Swimming Lesson In her poem, The Swimming Lesson, Mary Oliver uses the
story of her first time swimming as a metaphor for a life lesson on adapting to new situations. She
does this in a detailed, significant manner, using different techniques. These methods pull you into
the story, making you ponder about the structure and the deeper meaning of the poem. Firstly, one of
these strategies is when Oliver exaggerates parts of the experience. A time when she exaggerates an
event that took place, was in the beginning of the paragraph. "Feeling the icy kick, the endless
waves. Reaching around my life." (Line 1). Oliver puts emphasis on the feeling of swimming for the
first time, leaving a vivid image in your head of what she experienced

Hummingbirds Mary Oliver
Hummingbirds and children often inspire a sense of happiness, freedom, imagination, and being
worry–free. These traits send off a feeling of nostalgia to remind those watching them of their
childhood. Though an unusual comparison, author Mary Oliver connects these two together in the
poem, "Hummingbirds," by employing an image of hummingbirds to express a sense of childhood,
using a personal experience and in general throughout various literary devices, such as
personification, simile, symbolism, amongst others. Oliver expressed a sense of childhood was
through an image of hummingbirds. In the text, "The female, and two chicks, each no bigger than
my thumb," (Oliver 1–2) symbolizes a family with a parent and two babies. This line can bring
people a sense of nostalgia by reminding them of their old days being a young child. This line can
give people a recollection of their old days with their parents, as the hummingbirds are with their
mother. Life goes by quickly, and growing up is no slower. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
"Like three tosses of silvery water, they were gone." (Oliver 33) This alludes to how quickly the
process of childhood and life, in general, goes by. She also portrays in this line that readers should
cherish every second of being with loved ones enjoy every second of their

Wild Geese Mary Oliver
"Wild Geese" is a poem by Mary Oliver, b.1935. Mary Oliver's poem "Wild Geese" reminds the
reader that they do not have to be good. Whatever emotion or feeling they are holding inside, they
can let go. They don't always have to feel guilty have to feel guilty, because they too, are animals as
the wild geese. They need to remember that they can continue to live their lives and not feel guilty
or suffer, or try to find forgiveness, but rather do what they enjoy and love. Within the first few
lines, the reader can feel comforted for what the rest of the poem will come about and what will
come next. The poem is written in free verse and therefore has no rhyme scheme, meter, or specific
structure. It is eighteen lines long, but the eighteen

Mary Oliver Chapter 1
Chapter 1 Oliver was born in a workhouse He was very sick when he was born A surgeon and a
drunken nurse were there during his birth Oliver's mom died almost immediately after his birth
Surgeon notices that Oliver's mom didn't have a wedding ring on her finger Chapter 2 Oliver is sent
into another workhouse to live When he turns 9, Bumble asks him to go to a different workhouse
since his parents still weren't found Oliver asks for more food one day, which is something that is
immensely punishable The authorities decide to give 5 pounds to anyone who will take Oliver as an
apprentice Chapter 3 Mr. Gamfield offers to take Oliver as a chimney sweep apprentice Instead of 5
pounds he gets 3 pounds since many boys have died ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Corney goes back to the room where she left Mr. Bumble The two have a drink together, and end up
flirting and kissing again Mr. Bumble hints that he wants to marry Mrs. Corney, and she agrees He
then goes over to Mr. Sowerberry to tell him that he will be needed to help with the funeral of Old
Sally When he walks into the kitchen he sees Charlotte and Noah flirting, and as they are about to
kiss, he stops them and makes sure they understand that what they are doing is wrong, and how it
will lead to wickedness Chapter 28 After the robbery is failed, Sikes leaves Oliver in a ditch and him
and Crackit run off in opposite directions Oliver has lost a lot of his blood, and it is also very cold
outside He decides to go over to the house he was supposed to rob, and weakly knocks on the door
One of the 2 servants opens the door, and finds Oliver laying at the front of the house Recognizing
him as one of the thieves, he brings Oliver inside Oliver is carried upstairs while someone gets him
a doctor Chapter 29 Giles, one of the servants, Mrs. Maylie, and Rose sit there and talk amongst
themselves, waiting for the doctor to arrive Mrs. Maylie, the lady of the house, and her niece, Rose,
wait downstairs, while Mr. Losberne, the local surgeon, goes upstairs to see Oliver and how he is

Analysis Of The Journey By Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver, who was acknowledged by the New York Times as "far and away, this country's best
selling poet," was born on September 10, 1935 in Maple Heights, Ohio. At age fourteen, she started
writing poetry about the lush woods surrounding her childhood home. Later on, she drew inspiration
from Edna St. Vincent Millay, a poet and feminist, whose house she stayed at in New York. While
she was there, she met her lifelong partner, Molly Malone Cook. In the 1960s, she and Molly
relocated to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Influenced by transcendentalists like Whitman and
Thoreau, she is well known for her themes of the natural world. However, while her earliest poems
solely focus on nature, she evolved to become more personal and spiritual by ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
The speaker then leaves the voices behind, ignoring the "melancholy." This is tragic but realistic as
life is filled with problems, making it futile to try and help everyone who asks. The second stanza
marks the beginning of the speaker's journey. The beginning line, "it was already late enough,"
means the speaker wishes that they had decided to lead their desired life sooner. "The road full of
fallen branches and stones" signify hardships one faces while on the path to personal growth,
proving that life presents challenges along the way that must be overcome. Line 21 marks a tonal
shift in the poem in which the speaker gradually finds their "voice" or individuality after years of
following the crowd. Imagery like "the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds" once again
ties in nature and connects stars to hope. Oliver uses an anaphora for the last four lines, to
emphasize that the only life one can save is their own. Her use of the word "you" instead of "I"
interestingly connects the speaker to the reader, spreading the message to live authentically and for
oneself. Oliver's transcendentalist beliefs are hard to miss in this poem, as she herself is known to be
a private person

Mary Oliver Alternate Ending
Oliver's head spun rapidly for the rest of the week. He could barely talk to Spencer, or barely talk to
anyone at this point. His lips remained sealed as long as he was in the same room as Spencer. Daniel
was gone, and it was Spencer's fault. Oliver knew it was Spencer's fault, as it was his fault for Ian's
death and his coworker's disappearance. It was all Spencer's fault that his life was a living hell, but it
was also Spencer that made life not seem as bad. Spencer gave him meaning, but took it away from
others. And for that, Oliver could never forgive him. Oliver knew he had to do something, so he
invited his sheriff friend over from the school for a little dinner. The blonde knew that Spencer was
going to be working late that night, so this was the night to confess to everything he knew. ... Show
Although, after this whole mess, Oliver would rather move to a new city and change everything
associated with "Oliver". First comes first though, so his confession began to slip. "Listen, I need to
talk to you about something," Oliver began, his fingers fidgeting with the table cloth. The sheriff
leaned in, giving a head nod to urge him on. "I invited you over here because I feel..." Oliver trailed
off, his eyes being met with a shadowy figure in the hall behind the sheriff. The figure stood tall and
alert, bringing Oliver to mimic the exact opposite. Spencer was here to kill him next, wasn't he? He
was going to plunge a knife into his heart and rip it out. Or he was going to pull a gun from out of
his jacket and shoot Oliver until he bleeds out. Or he was going to torture him for going to tell
someone. Oliver's thoughts raced, none of them coherent but not entirely impossible. However, one
thing was clear – Spencer was watching them, his eyes piercing into Oliver's skull like daggers.
"You feel

Analysis Of Owls By Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver's passage from "Owls" is composed of various stylistic elements which she utilizes to
thoroughly illustrate her nuanced views of owls and nature. Oliver's use of intricate sentence
structure–syntax– and a speculative tone are formal stylistic elements which effectively convey the
complexity of her response to nature. Oliver's passage is largely constructed with complex
sentences, which provide insight into her views of nature. Following her discussion of various types
of owls which she is accustomed to seeing and hearing, Oliver connects her experiences of
wondering about nature to her own life, stating: "The world where the owl is endlessly hungry and
endlessly on the hunt is the world in which I live too." In this example, Oliver's sentence is
composed of "endlessly" twice, a technique which emphasizes the connection between the owl that
is incessantly active and the same environment in which she lives. Later in her passage, ... Show
Following her discussion of her positive experience with roses towards the end of the passage,
Oliver shifts focus by contemplating about whether despite her fond appreciation of the beautiful
rose fields which surround her environment, they are actually potentially overwhelming: "And is
this not also terrible? Is this not also frightening? Are the roses not also–even as the owl is–
excessive? Each flower is small and lovely, but in their sheer and silent abundance the roses become
an immutable force..." Oliver's dubious tone is most clearly exemplified through this series of
questions, which she has struggled to discern. She uses transitional words such as "not also and but"
to indicate her contradictory thoughts of roses. Indeed, the questioning tone that pervades
throughout these lines most strongly suggests that Oliver has a complex relationship with the owls
and roses of

Mary Oliver Hummingbirds Analysis
Everyone has experienced a dark path in life, when accepting defeat and giving up seemed like the
only option. Feeling desperate and defeated; learning that hope means finding that little bit of light
in all the darkness. Throughout history, hummingbirds represent the symbolic meaning behind hope.
Due to the small features of the birds, hummingbirds represent hardships or challenges plagued by
negativity. Teaching one to come out with a positive outlook and optimism. In the poem,
Hummingbirds, by Mary Oliver, the author uses the image of Hummingbirds to portray a symbol of
hope in a time of obscurity.
Hummingbirds can be characterized by their resilience and their ability of determination. Due to the
hummingbirds deceiving size, "The female,

Analysis Of Singapore By Mary Oliver

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