As a child, Oliver spent much of her
free time outside in order to avoid
her chaotic household.
As a result, much of her
poetry focuses on nature.
She was once called “an
indefatigable guide to the natural
world.”
She remained a prolific writer
throughout her life; as such, she
won a number of writing awards
over the years.
Ex. She won the Pulitzer Prize in
1984 and the National Book Award
in 1992.
Poem Background
Published in 1986 in "Dream
Work", Oliver’s 7th collection of
poetry.
The poem explores similar
themes to her other poems.
Notably, she explores the
relationships and
connections between
humans and nature.
Her work stands out in the
period after the 1960s and
1970s as very
straightforward and
contemplative, as opposed
to more avant-garde works.
Breakdown of the Poem
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
These last two lines connect back to the idea of
having a home in the world. Oliver tells readers
that they are a part of the natural world no
matter what. If they feel lonely or adrift, then they
only need to seek out nature to feel grounded in
something real and dynamic.
Oliver emphasizes that everyone has a place in
the wide world. She uses the words "harsh and
exciting", which brings to mind the pain and
pleasure in life (duality).
The first mention of the title. Oliver likely mentions
geese in particular, because of their migratory lives. She
is reassuring readers that they always have a home to
come back to, even if it isn’t a typical “home.”
Oliver is reminding the reader that even as
humans have their worries, despair, and
problems, the natural world moves on. It is a
steady constant in a crazy, hectic life.
Oliver is ready and willing to share
the reader’s burdens.
Oliver then begins exploring the
connection between humanity and nature
("soft animal"). She is reminding readers
that humans, too, can simply worry about
basic instincts rather than more "worldly"
concerns.
The first few lines are a reassuring
statement. The first part is a reminder
that you do not have to be perfect or
overly self critical.
Wild Geese Analysis
Structure
1 stanza – 18 lines
Free verse, not
particularly complex
Perspective
Written from the
perspective of someone
addressing someone
else.
Oliver establishes an
intimate feeling in the
poem by addressing the
reader directly.
Poetic Devices
Metaphor
Ex. "the soft
animal of
your body".
Oliver’s use of
metaphor
connects
human beings
with nature.
Oliver shows that
humans, too, have
natural instincts. We
should sometimes just let
ourselves simply exist in
the world and give into
basic impulses.
However, Oliver probably
isn’t suggesting that people
live without morals.
Rather, humans shouldn’t
have so many worries.
Simile
Ex. “calls to you
like the wild
geese, harsh
and exciting”.
Oliver compares
the opportunities
awaiting the
reader to the call
of the wild geese.
This call, similar to
wild geese, is a
harsh and exciting
sound
It is inviting the
reader to see
wonder in the
world, despite their
loneliness or
suffering.
Imagery
Ex. “walk on
your knees
for a
hundred
miles
through the
desert
repenting.”
This image is
very harsh
and brings to
mind a kind
of religious
feeling.
“Repent” is a
word related
to asking for
forgiveness à
especially for a
sin or poor
behavior.
There is also a sense of
regret in the word
“repenting.” Oliver is
telling readers that they
do not have to
focus/linger on past
actions.
Repetition
Ex. “over
and over”.
This
repetition
emphasizes
the
constancy of
the call of
the world
and the call
of the wild
geese.
Anaphora
Ex. “You do
not have to…”
“Meanwhile
the…”
In two
instances,
Oliver
repeats a
phrase at the
beginning of
a line. This
gives the
poem a
conversational
tone.
And “Meanwhile the…”
connects the world, the
natural landscape, and
the wild geese into the
same idea of constancy
and dependability.
Alliteration
Ex.
“meanwhile”
“mountain”
“moving”.
Oliver
places
gentle
emphasis
on these
sounds.
Enjambment
Ex. “harsh and
exciting - /
over and over
announcing
your place / in
the family of
things”.
There are more
examples of
enjambment in the
poem. • But the
final two lines are
broken up to
emphasize these
final thoughts.
The last line is “in the
family of things.” • The
poem truly is one
where Oliver shows
how everyone does
have a place in the
world, just like the wild
geese.
Asyndeton
Ex. “Meanwhile
the sun and the
clear pebbles of
the rain are
moving across the
landscapes, over
the prairies and
the deep trees,
the mountains
and the rivers.”
Asyndeton is
the lack of
contractions
between
phrases.
There is a slight use in
the above lines –> “the
deep trees, / the
mountains”
Themes and Symbols
Comfort in
Nature
Nature is a comfort
for Oliver and she
wants others to see
comfort in it, too.
She writes about and
stresses the wonders
of the natural world.
The natural world
moves forward no
matter what à Oliver
emphasizes how
dependable nature is in
the face of a crazy life.
Human
Vulnerability
and Suffering
The way Oliver
writes about
human suffering
is very simple.
Ex. “You do not have to be
good.” – The first line of
the poem is a simple, yet
powerful statement.
Oliver points out how
flawed and imperfect
humans are (and
therefore vulnerable), but
in the same breath
asserts that it is okay to
NOT be perfect.
Ex. “Tell me about despair,
yours, and I will tell you
mine.” For Oliver, despair
is something that anyone
might be feeling. She
makes it feel normal, too,
by offering to share her
own human suffering.
Ex. “Whoever you
are, no matter how
lonely,” Oliver
connects human
suffering to the idea
of loneliness. Even
the loneliest person
can find comfort in
nature.
Finding Purpose
Oliver also seems
to comment on
the idea of
purpose in life. o
Humans are
relentlessly
reminded each
day that they
should have
some reason for
living. o If you do
not have a
purpose then
your life may feel
strange.
But Oliver lets
readers know
that it is okay to
just exist. o
Everyone has “a
place / in the
family of things.”
Wild Geese
The geese are the only
specific animal
mentioned in the poem.
The wild geese
display their freedom
through their “harsh
and exciting” call.
Wild geese represent
the beauty, freedom,
and constancy that
Oliver sees in the
natural world. However,
geese have a special
characteristic. Oliver
mentions how the
geese “are heading
home again.” They are
free, but they also have
a home, they have a
place in the world.