Lannan Readings & Conversations

Mary Oliver

with Coleman Barks
Wednesday August 4 2001
Coleman Barks Mary Oliver's poetry, with her lyrical connection to the natural world, has firmly established her in the highest realm of American poets. She is renowned for her evocative and precise imagery, which brings nature into clear focus, transforming the everyday world into a place of magic and discovery. Her recent books include Owls and Other Fantasies, Why I Wake Early, and New and Selected Poems, Volume Two. As poet Stanley Kunitz has said, "Mary Oliver's poetry is fine and deep; it reads like a blessing." Oliver lives in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

Mary Oliver Bio and Cross Links


Coleman Barks Coleman Barks published his first book of poetry, The Juice, in 1972. From the late 1970's to the present he has been primarily known for his translations of the 13th century mystic, Jelaluddin Rumi.

Coleman Barks Bio and Cross Links