Wonderful poems! I really enjoyed enjoyed the one poem where Mary addresses the reader- "If You Are Holding This Book." She describes loving to see dogs being free: "[that] of all the sights I love in this world-/ and there are plenty- very near the top of/ the list is this one: dogs without leashes."She had a very casual voice in her poetry with may be irksome to some poetry fans. It's not super tight poems with lots of texture, it's mostly sentiment. Nevertheless, if you're a dog lover, pick it up, it's lovely! I love Mary Oliver and I love dogs, so what's not to love? Well, I'm sorry, but this little collection of poems is an embarrassment and a blight on Mary Oliver's legacy. There are three of four charming and worthy pieces in it, but the rest of the selections read like a Christopher Guest mockumentary version of Mary Oliver's poetry. As I said to a friend, M.O. is heading toward self-parody in her latter works and it's a very depressing development. Pretty much she write will sell, as she is probably one of the few bankable poets in the world. It's going to be up to the poet herself to save some of her work for posthumous "wasn't this darling we found it in her personal papers" publication.
What do You think about Dog Songs Deluxe Edition (2014)?
If you've ever loved a dog, read this wonderful book of poetry about them.
—mariiheger
Take a break from your hectic day and read a poem--makes my heart smile.
—Ronald
