Mary Oliver
Mary Jane Oliver (September 10, 1935 – January 17, 2019) was an American poet celebrated for clear, accessible verse inspired by the natural world. Her work—marked by attention to nature, wonder, and spiritual reflection—earned wide popular and critical acclaim, including the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry (American Primitive) and the 1992 National Book Award (New and Selected Poems). She lived for many years in Provincetown, Massachusetts, was a prolific author of poetry and essays, and remained one of the best-selling American poets of her generation.
Awards
['Pulitzer Prize for Poetry (1984)', 'National Book Award (1992)', 'Lannan Literary Award', 'Shelley Memorial Prize (Poetry Society of America)', 'Guggenheim Fellowship', 'NEA Fellowship']
Notable Works
['American Primitive', 'New and Selected Poems', 'Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver', 'Wild Geese', 'Why I Wake Early', 'A Poetry Handbook']
