Wild Geese Mary Oliver Analysis
The poem "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver (pg 40) immediately grabbed my attention after reading the first line: You do not have to be good. It’s effective how the first word is “you,” because it really feels like the author is speaking directly to the reader. The message that Oliver tries to get across is that we have to let the soft animal of our body love what it loves to love. In other words, we must not worry so much about society’s approval, but rather focus more on ourselves and taking advantage of our freedom. The poet says in line 2 and 3: You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. Understand that she describes the means of traveling in this hundred mile journey is by walking on your knees in
a desert. Take note that she ends the sentence by using the word “repenting”. What Oliver tries to get across is that you should not have to torture yourself for making mistakes. As human, we are inevitably going to commit sins, but that doesn’t mean we should live miserably. In line 6: Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. This is an invitation of a friendship so that two people can share their stories. The poet uses first-person point of view to really connect with the audience as well. This truly helps get her message across. “The world goes on,” says Oliver. She laters explains that no matter how bad things may be, the world goes on. The sun still shines and the rain still drops across the landscapes. The poet mentions the wild geese and how it heads home in the clean blue air. She specifically uses a goose to compare humans with because of how wild and imperfect they are. The clean blue air balances the wildness and imperfection of the wild geese. The geese are heading home, and Oliver is suggesting that we should too. In the last few lines of the poem, she says that regardless of how lonely we are, there is a home for all of us that accepts and welcomes us for the wild geese we are.
a desert. Take note that she ends the sentence by using the word “repenting”. What Oliver tries to get across is that you should not have to torture yourself for making mistakes. As human, we are inevitably going to commit sins, but that doesn’t mean we should live miserably. In line 6: Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. This is an invitation of a friendship so that two people can share their stories. The poet uses first-person point of view to really connect with the audience as well. This truly helps get her message across. “The world goes on,” says Oliver. She laters explains that no matter how bad things may be, the world goes on. The sun still shines and the rain still drops across the landscapes. The poet mentions the wild geese and how it heads home in the clean blue air. She specifically uses a goose to compare humans with because of how wild and imperfect they are. The clean blue air balances the wildness and imperfection of the wild geese. The geese are heading home, and Oliver is suggesting that we should too. In the last few lines of the poem, she says that regardless of how lonely we are, there is a home for all of us that accepts and welcomes us for the wild geese we are.