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Mary Oliver’s Thirst: Poetry, Loss and the Longing for God
Presented by Rt. Rev. Br. Mark D’Alessio
Mary Oliver is a favorite of poetry lovers of all ages for her lyrical, intimate, and sensitive poems, many of which use nature as a lens for exploring a wide spiritual spectrum of human emotions, from love and joy to sorrow and despair. The best of Oliver’s work reminds us to pause and take a breath, revel in our surroundings, and not take anything for granted.
Join us this year for our annual Mary Oliver Retreat at Wisdom House, led by Br. Mark, one of our most popular facilitators. Together we will explore Thirst (2006), the luminous collection Oliver wrote after the death of her partner. In Thirst, Oliver opens her heart to loss while stepping more deeply into the language of prayer, praise, and spiritual yearning. At once tender and fierce, these poems name the rawness of mourning, the ache of absence, and the stubborn beauty of the world that continues. Throughout, they shine with hope and the possibility of renewal.
As Oliver writes: “Another morning and I wake with thirst / for the goodness I do not have / I walk out to the pond and all the way / God has given us such beautiful lessons.” Thirst invites us to discover how grief can open us more deeply to this rhythm of love, loss, and surrender.
Through reflection, contemplative practice, and guided conversation, we’ll invite Oliver’s poems to become companions on our own journeys of loss, healing, and hope. No prior knowledge of her work is needed — only an openness to allow poetry to speak to the heart. Come walk with us through Thirst and discover how grief, too, can open us more deeply to love, resilience, and the quiet hunger for God.
$85 | COMMUTER, lunch included
Event Links
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3742804-0
