Menu

 Authors
A B C D E F
G H I J K L
M N O P Q R
S T U V W S
Y Z
Get Socialize
My Account
Make Free Wallpaper

"25 Mary Oliver Quotes & Sayings

      American     /     View profile
Born: 10 September 1935. Died: 17 January 2019 | Poet |

Poetry isn't a profession, it's a way of life. It's an empty basket; you put your life into it and make something out of that.

Poetry Profession Life
  Favorite Make wallpaper

To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.

Pay Attention Endless Work
  Favorite Make wallpaper

You can fool a lot of yourself but you can't fool the soul.

You Fool Soul
  Favorite Make wallpaper

I acknowledge my feeling and gratitude for life by praising the world and whoever made all these things.

Feeling Gratitude Praising World
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Poetry is meant to be heard.

Poetry Heard
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Writers must... take care of the sensibility that houses the possibility of poems.

Writers Care Sensibility Poems
  Favorite Make wallpaper

I learn a lot about my poems when I read them by the way people respond to them.

Learn Poems Read People
  Favorite Make wallpaper

I believe art is utterly important. It is one of the things that could save us.

Believe Art Important Save
  Favorite Make wallpaper

When it's over, I want to say: all my life I was a bride married to amazement. I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

Life Married Amazement World
  Favorite Make wallpaper

To live in this world, you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go.

Live World Love Time
  Favorite Make wallpaper

We all have a hungry heart, and one of the things we hunger for is happiness. So as much as I possibly could, I stayed where I was happy.

Heart Hunger Happiness
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Sometimes breaking the rules is extending the rules.

Breaking Rules Extending
  Favorite Make wallpaper

One thing I do know is that poetry, to be understood, must be clear.

Know Poetry Understood Clear
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Words have not only a definition... but also the felt quality of their own kind of sound.

Words Definition Quality Sound
  Favorite Make wallpaper

People want poetry. They need poetry. They get it. They don't want fancy work.

People Poetry Need Work
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.

Loved Darkness Understand Gift
  Favorite Make wallpaper

I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.

Want End Visited World
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Love yourself. Then forget it. Then, love the world.

Love Yourself Forget World
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable.

Keep Room Heart Unimaginable
  Favorite Make wallpaper

This is the first, the wildest and the wisest thing I know: that the soul exists and is built entirely out of attentiveness.

Wisest Soul Exists Attentiveness
  Favorite Make wallpaper

I believe in kindness. Also in mischief. Also in singing, especially when singing is not necessarily prescribed.

Believe Kindness Singing Prescribed
  Favorite Make wallpaper

You must not ever stop being whimsical. And you must not, ever, give anyone else the responsibility for your life.

Stop Responsibility Life
  Favorite Make wallpaper

It is better for the heart to break, than not to break.

Better Heart Break
  Favorite Make wallpaper

What misery to be afraid of death. What wretchedness, to believe only in what can be proven.

Misery Afraid Death Believe
  Favorite Make wallpaper
If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it.
Suddenly Feel Joy Hesitate
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Mary Oliver Quotes & Sayings