Concise Title: Long Life: Essays for Older Adults

The gift of Oliver's poetry lies in her ability to convey the beauty she finds in the world, rendering it unforgettable, as the Miami Herald aptly states. This sentiment is never truer than in her latest work, Long Life, a luminous collection of seventeen essays and ten poems. With the grace and precision that are the hallmarks of her writing, Oliver shows us how the act of writing is a way of offering praise to the world, suggesting that her poems be seen as "little alleluias."

Whether describing a stranded goosefish at low tide, the feeling of being baptized by the mist from a whale's blowhole, or the "connection between soul and landscape," Oliver invites readers to find themselves and their experiences at the center of her world. In Long Life, she also speaks of other poets and writers, exploring Wordsworth's "whirlwind" of "beauty and strangeness," Hawthorne's "sweet-tempered" side, and Emerson's belief that "a man's inclination, once awakened to it, would be to turn all the heavy sails of his life to a moral purpose."

With consummate craftsmanship, Mary Oliver has created a breathtaking volume that is sure to add to her reputation as "one of our very best poets," as the New York Times Book Review has aptly noted. Her ability to communicate the beauty she finds in the world and make it unforgettable is a true gift, and it shines through in every word of Long Life.

In this collection, Oliver invites readers to join her in her exploration of the natural world and the human experience. Her poetic voice is both lyrical and profound, seamlessly weaving together observations of the physical world with reflections on the deeper questions of existence. Whether she is describing the delicate dance of a hummingbird or the profound stillness of a moonlit night, Oliver's words have a way of revealing the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary.

One of the standout essays in Long Life is "Messenger," in which Oliver reflects on the role of the poet as a messenger, a conduit between the visible and invisible worlds. She writes, "The poet's job is to find words for the unsayable, to name the unnameable, to speak for the unvoiced – and to do it with such power and precision that the reader or listener is not only moved, but changed." This sentiment echoes throughout the collection, as Oliver's words have the power to shift our perspective, to open our eyes to the beauty and wonder that surrounds us.

In "Crossing the River," Oliver contemplates the idea of the soul's journey, drawing on the metaphor of a river crossing to explore the passage from life to death. With her characteristic blend of natural imagery and philosophical insight, she writes, "The river, I think, is a perfect metaphor for life. It flows, it changes, it is never the same, yet it is always the same. It is always in motion, yet it is always standing still."

Throughout Long Life, Oliver's deep reverence for the natural world is palpable. Her poems and essays are imbued with a sense of awe and appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the natural landscape. In "Hummingbird Pauses at the Trumpet Vine," she captures the grace and delicacy of these tiny, jewel-like creatures, writing, "The hummingbird, like a green jewel / Hanging in the air, / Moves with a speed / That the eye can hardly catch."

In the end, Long Life is a testament to the power of language to illuminate the human experience and our connection to the natural world. Mary Oliver's words have the ability to transform the way we see and engage with the world around us, and this collection is a testament to the enduring power of her poetic vision.

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