Mary Oliver lived for many years on Cape Cod, and drew inspiration from its natural beauty. Photo by Deja Vu Designs
Debra Dean Murphy, professor of religious studies at West Virginia Wesleyan College, recommends the following books about poetry and some Mary Oliver poems.
Mary Oliver's poetry often drew from close attention to the natural world. Oliver died Jan. 17, 2019 at the age of 83. Getty Images / Photo by Kevork Djansezian
The disciplined reading of poetry can inculcate a mindset of paying deep attention to the world around us, says a scholar.
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Her college poetry teacher was the last person she ever expected to have an encounter with the risen Christ, a writer says. But a book of his poems published 20 years after his death suggests otherwise.
In this episode of “Can These Bones,” co-host Bill Lamar has a wide-ranging conversation with author and professor Daniel Black about his novel “The Coming,” which is set during the middle passage; his commitment to the black church; and why “music does for the heart what reading does for the head.”
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Beauty isn’t just ornamentation or sentimentality; it provides the life-giving force of warm, appealing graciousness, says a writer.
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Reading contemporary fiction, with its obsession with infidelity, got a Wheaton professor thinking about why he finds faithfulness far more interesting.
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In this excerpt from his new book, ‘The Grace of Dogs,’ the theologian finds help from a surprising source when he looks for an answer to his son’s classic question, ‘Will I see my dog in heaven?’
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The role of the U.S. poet laureate is to encourage Americans -- especially children -- to find their voices and express themselves, says the first Hispanic writer to serve in the position.
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Abiding is difficult in this busy age. But the practices of silent contemplation, shared reflection and anticipation of God’s grace give leaders a way to abide with those they lead, writes a pastor.
Poets, like theologians, address questions of meaning and the context of our lives, says the award-winning Irish poet.