Wild Geese--Mary Oliver

The tone of Oliver's "Wild Geese" is reassuring and warm; the speaker tells the audience that they will be welcomed no matter what they do and that they will be welcomed. Although there is little mention of relation between the audience and the speaker, it seems to be a comforting, motherly tone.

The word choice helps the tone; she uses encouraging phrases such as "the world offers itself to your imagination" and "…your place in the family of things" to explain to the audience that their importance is undeniable and that it comes merely from being who they are. This, too supports the idea that the speaker feels a motherly connection (whether biologically or only in nature) to the person to whom she is speaking.

Oliver's use of imagery in describing the beauty of the world emphasizes the fact that the audience belongs in it; she highlights the loveliness of nature in discussing "the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain…moving across the landscapes" and implies that it all calls to the audience, accepting them. Indeed, even in the moments of weakness for the reader, the world turns on and is still ready to take them in.

The most notable part of Oliver's syntax is her repetition  of "You" and "Meanwhile" at the beginning of several lines; three times she emphasizes that "you" don't have to push to be perfect to have a place in the world, and three times she tells that "meanwhile" the world goes on. In this, she implies that even if one doesn't put forth all of their effort to be good and to be humble, the world goes on and there will still be beauty.

The theme is that the reader is important and valued in the world, especially equipped with their flaws. This is a similar attitude to that of a mother; even if Oliver refers to someone in "the family of things" as opposed to an actual family, her intentions to be accepting and welcoming could not be more clear.

I primarily picked this poem because I appreciated the encouragement of it and it reminded me of the constant support of my own family. Additionally, the bumps in the road--in which I've not always been good and in which I've not always walked on my knees for a hundred miles to repent--are definitely present, but the world spins on, just as my family remains my family. We as a unit may be a little painful and screwed up sometimes--or, rather, fairly frequently--but the complications don't mean that I have ever lost the support of my brother or my mother or my father. I loved that this poem reminded the audience of undeniable importance; this seems to be a reminder that most would think would come from family, but often does not. I know that I'm lucky to have a family that is supportive as it is; unfortunately, it's frequent that people aren't reminded of their importance by their family.