"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Friday Quotes: Devotions

Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City Reader. Share the opening quote from the book.
The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice.  Find a quote from page 56.

This is the book I'm highlighting right now---

 Title: Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver

 Book Beginning: from "I Wake Close to Morning"

 Why do people keep asking to see
God's identity papers
when the darkness opening into morning
is more than enough?...

 Friday 56: from "I Worried"

 ...Finally I saw that worrying had come to nothing.
And gave it up. And took my old body
and went out into the morning,
and sang.

 Comment: Mary Oliver, poet, died today. In one of her obituaries it was mentioned that never has a poet sold more poetry that rarely mentioned other human beings. Sometimes she was described as a recluse because she gave so few interviews, but actually she just wanted to let her poetry speak for her. She won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1983 for American Primitive and the National Book Award for poetry in 1992 for New and Selected Poems. It is because of Mary Oliver that I love poetry and I go to her poems over and over again when I need a little solace or should spend a moment outside myself. Devotions is a compilation of over 200 of her favorite poems going all the way back to 1963, when she published her first volume of poetry. I'll let Mary Oliver get the last word with a portion of her poem, "When Death Comes":
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19 comments:

  1. Breana M.January 18, 2019 at 12:13 AM

    These quotes are simply beautiful. I need to read this collection of poems.

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  2. sherry fundinJanuary 18, 2019 at 6:26 AM

    Very nice. Enjoy the weekend.
    sherry @ fundinmental Friday Memes

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  3. Laurel-Rain SnowJanuary 18, 2019 at 8:11 AM

    The excerpts are great. Thanks for sharing, and here's mine: “THE LIAR’S ROOM”

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  4. Kathy MartinJanuary 18, 2019 at 8:34 AM

    Great quotes. This week I am spotlighting a middle grade fantasy - The Storm Keeper's Island by Catherine Doyle - from my review stack. Happy reading!

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  5. JLS HallJanuary 18, 2019 at 9:43 AM

    I just saw the announcement of her death a few minutes ago. She was certainly an interesting individual.

    Thanks for visiting my blog, and happy reading!

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    1. Anne@HeadFullofBooksJanuary 18, 2019 at 11:28 AM

      I cried when I heard the news. No new poetry from her. Sigh.

      Delete
  6. collettakayJanuary 18, 2019 at 10:00 AM

    Great lines! Thanks for stopping by!

    Colletta

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  7. Ashley SappJanuary 18, 2019 at 10:44 AM

    Those are really beautiful excerpts. Thanks for sharing. Hope you have a great weekend! :)

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  8. MargaretJanuary 18, 2019 at 11:29 AM

    I love the poems you've selected and have enjoyed Mary Oliver very much, thanks to you.

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  9. fredamansJanuary 18, 2019 at 12:07 PM

    Probably not for me. I love poetry, but not often to read others. I use it more for therapy for my own emotions. I find reading and enjoying others' is hard for me sometimes. Hope you love the book! Happy weekend!

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    1. Anne@HeadFullofBooksJanuary 18, 2019 at 1:02 PM

      Thatis the way I used to feel about poetry but not anymore. Once I found Oliver, Collins, Rumi, and more, I started enjoying it for what is says to my heart.

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  10. Louise @ Foxes and Fairy TalesJanuary 18, 2019 at 12:36 PM

    Lovely poetry!

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  11. thecuecardJanuary 18, 2019 at 2:55 PM

    Great poem, thanks for sharing it. I feel sad Oliver has passed away. It's nice though she has left us her poems ...

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  12. Nicki J. Markus / Asta IdoneaJanuary 18, 2019 at 4:35 PM

    Sounds like a lovely collection.

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  13. Lauren StoolfireJanuary 18, 2019 at 5:47 PM

    RIP Mary Oliver

    Lauren @ Always Me

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    1. Anne@HeadFullofBooksJanuary 18, 2019 at 8:17 PM

      Yes. May she rest in peace. It sounds like the first part of her life was so unhappy, she deserves it.

      Delete
  14. YvonneJanuary 18, 2019 at 6:11 PM

    Very nice quotes.

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  15. Alicia @ A Kernel of NonsenseJanuary 18, 2019 at 6:14 PM

    A very appropriate book to feature. Hope you have a happy weekend!

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  16. Deb Nance at ReaderbuzzJanuary 19, 2019 at 7:27 AM

    Oh, those final lines! Yes, yes, yes!

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