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. In her later works Oliver explicitly inserted herself into her writing and began publishing deeply personal and intimate poems.

Although Oliver’s poetry is mostly modern and free form in structure, her focus on nature and the importance of setting and place in her poetry is rooted in the tradition of Romantic nature and 19th century poetry. Oliver cited Walt Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson as major stylistic influences. Both are 19th century poets who mostly wrote about their observations of nature and the intersection of nature and human consciousness.

Although Oliver receiver multiple awards and fellowships for her writing, the two most notable are the Pulitzer Prize she won in 1984 for her collection American Primitive, and the National Book Award she received in 1992 for New and Selected Poetry. Along with her poetry collections, Oliver also published multiple books of prose and essay collections. In 2017, Oliver published her last book, Devotions, and subsequently passed away in 2019 at the age of 83. Oliver continues to be one of the most widely read modern poets in America.

Poem Text

Oliver, Mary. “Messenger.” 2006. Thirst.

Summary

In the opening line of the poem, the speaker very simply states that their “work is loving the world” (Line 1). They mention various images to set a heavily natural scene that also includes elements of home life. In the second stanza, the speaker turns inward, and the reader catches a glimpse of the speaker’s inner dialogue around clothing and aging. This inner dialogue directly contrasts with the first line of the poem, but the speaker quickly catches themself and returns to keeping their “mind on what matters, / Which is my work” (Lines 8-9).

The third stanza of the poem echoes the first as the speaker returns to nature and a different aspect of their “work” in “loving the world” (Line 1). In the last stanza, the speaker’s work, their body, and the nature around them all merge. The speaker makes it clear that they are grateful for what they have and they intend to live life as fully present as the natural world. The poem concludes with the image of the speaker “telling” the nature around them “over and over, how it is / That we live forever” (Lines 19-20). In the final line, the speaker not only reflects that nature has taught them to live in wonder at every moment, but they also invite the reader to consider this may be the way to live an infinitely joyous life.