Mary Oliver’s poems have a wonderful way of pulling you right into the woods and open fields. She wrote about nature in a way that always felt both simple and profound. If you love that feeling in poems, you might be interested in other poets who have a similar style.
These poets also observe the world closely and write about what they see and what they feel. You will find similar themes in their poems, themes about nature, life, and what it means to be human.
Readers who appreciate Mary Oliver’s thoughtful observations of nature and life’s quiet moments might also connect with Wendell Berry. Berry is a poet, essayist, and novelist whose work often reflects his deep connection to rural life and the environment.
In “Jayber Crow,” Berry tells the story of Jayber, a small-town barber who quietly witnesses the joys, struggles, and changes in his Kentucky community across several decades.
Through Jayber’s gentle but sharp-eyed reflections, Berry draws the reader into the rhythms of a simpler, more intentional life and offers profound insights about community, belonging, and our relationship with nature.
Jane Kenyon was an American poet known for her thoughtful and observant poetry that explores everyday moments, nature, and personal reflection. If you enjoy Mary Oliver’s poetry, you might appreciate Kenyon’s collection “Otherwise.”
In this book, she examines the simplicity and depth of ordinary life. Her poems address themes of love, illness, loss, and gratitude. Kenyon’s poem “Otherwise,” for example, beautifully highlights the small, daily routines we often overlook until they are no longer possible.
With gentle precision, Kenyon invites readers to pay attention and cherish life’s quiet details.
Pattiann Rogers shares Mary Oliver’s deep appreciation for the natural world. Her poetry often celebrates life’s small wonders with clarity and warmth.
In her collection “Firekeeper,” Rogers examines the quiet forces shaping nature, from the growth of lilies to hidden movements underground. Her poems transform ordinary moments into profound reflections that stay with you.
Anyone drawn to Mary Oliver’s nature-focused poetry will quickly feel a connection to Rogers’ work.
Books by Billy Collins offer poetry that feels welcoming and accessible, filled with thoughtful insights and quiet humor. If you enjoy the clear and heartfelt connection with nature in Mary Oliver’s poems, then Collins’s collection “Aimless Love” might also speak to you.
This book gathers the best of Collins’s recent work along with new poems. He uncovers moments of wonder in ordinary experiences, often with a gentle wit, as seen in poems such as “No Time,” where he thoughtfully reflects on life’s small but meaningful details.
Readers find joy and comfort in his straightforward style and easy-going voice.
David Whyte is a poet and writer whose works explore the deep connections between nature, self-discovery, and the human experience.
If you’re fond of Mary Oliver’s poetic relationship with the natural world, you’ll appreciate Whyte’s book “Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words”.
This collection of essays thoughtfully examines familiar words like silence, honesty, and courage. His reflections offer new ways to understand these common expressions.
Whyte draws upon moments from his own life, weaving together personal insights and natural imagery to reveal the hidden depth within ordinary language. Readers who value Oliver’s clear, thoughtful contemplation will find similar depth and beauty in Whyte’s engaging prose.
Readers who enjoy Mary Oliver’s gentle poetry about nature and everyday life may appreciate Naomi Shihab Nye’s writing. Nye’s poems explore human experiences through clear and thoughtful language.
Her collection, “Words Under the Words,” brings readers into quiet moments and shared memories across different cultures. The poems touch on family ties, subtle details of daily living, and connections to place and identity.
Her sensitive observations and approachable style make readers feel seen and understood in small yet powerful ways.
Ruth Stone was an American poet known for her honest and thoughtful explorations of everyday life and nature. Readers who appreciate Mary Oliver’s gentle ease with the natural world would find resonance in Stone’s poetry collection, “In the Next Galaxy.”
This book considers life’s cycles, beauty, loss, and human connection through simple, vivid language. Stone pinpoints small moments and emotions and helps readers see them with fresh eyes. The poems invite reflection and celebrate the humblest glimpses of existence.
Gary Snyder is a poet and essayist whose works celebrate nature, spirituality, and mindful living. If you appreciate Mary Oliver’s reflective approach to the natural world, Snyder’s book “Turtle Island” will resonate with you.
This Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry collection explores our connection to the earth, blending Native American wisdom with Buddhist thoughts. Poems within “Turtle Island” offer vivid descriptions of nature and thoughtful insights on our responsibility toward the environment.
Snyder’s words provide both a gentle appreciation of wilderness and a thoughtful critique of modern life, bringing readers closer to the rhythms and lessons found in nature.
If you enjoy Mary Oliver’s poetry that explores nature, human emotion, and thoughtful reflection, then Louise Glück might also resonate with you.
Glück’s collection “The Wild Iris” offers poetry that explores themes of mortality, nature, and spirituality through the unique voices of flowers in a garden.
Each poem provides rich imagery and a quiet intensity, inviting readers into a garden where flowers express their perspectives on life, loss, and existence. Glück’s subtle power and clear language build a world both intimate and profound.
Readers who appreciate Mary Oliver’s thoughtful reflections on nature might also enjoy the poetry of Ted Kooser. Kooser is known for capturing quiet observations of everyday life and the natural world with simplicity and clarity.
His Pulitzer Prize-winning collection, “Delights & Shadows,” invites readers into gentle moments of ordinary living. Poems in this book shine a careful light on simple details—a bird resting on a fence, an elderly couple sharing silence, or sunlight caught in a spider’s web.
Each poem reveals meaning tucked neatly into the commonplace, encouraging readers to pause and notice the beauty hidden in their own daily routines.
If you enjoy Mary Oliver’s clear, honest, and deeply personal poetry, you might appreciate Sharon Olds. Olds writes about everyday moments, family relationships, and life’s raw emotional truths.
Her collection “The Father” explores the complicated relationship she had with her dying father. She approaches difficult themes like illness, loss, and reconciliation with grace and vivid honesty.
Olds captures private experiences in a straightforward, yet profoundly moving way. Readers who connect with Oliver’s genuine expression may find a similar emotional resonance in Olds’ poetry.
Readers who enjoy Mary Oliver’s reflective approach to life’s moments might also appreciate Anne Lamott’s thoughtful style. Lamott combines humor with insightful storytelling in her book, “Bird by Bird.”
This book explores the challenges writers face and offers practical wisdom on the writing process and daily life. Lamott shares personal experiences about overcoming self-doubt, dealing with criticism, and finding inspiration in ordinary events.
Her voice is honest and approachable, creating a sense of intimacy that makes readers feel connected to her journey. Like Oliver, Lamott finds significance in small, everyday moments and describes them with clarity and warmth.
Maxine Kumin writes poetry deeply rooted in nature, animals, and everyday life, themes readers of Mary Oliver will find familiar. In her collection “Where I Live,” Kumin captures thoughtful moments on her New Hampshire farm and offers a fresh, elegant look at rural living.
She closely observes horses, garden vegetables, and the changing seasons, revealing meaningful insights about humans and their bond with nature. Her poems blend simplicity and beauty, quietly highlighting the importance of noticing the small details around us.
If you’ve enjoyed Mary Oliver’s careful attention to the natural world, Kumin’s poetry offers a similar warmth and clarity you’ll appreciate.
Elizabeth Bishop was an American poet known for her clear and powerful imagery, insightful observations, and deep sensitivity to the natural world.
If you appreciate Mary Oliver’s attentiveness to the small details of nature, exploring Bishop’s collection “Geography III” might resonate with you.
Bishop carefully crafts each poem, blending vivid observations of landscapes and everyday objects with thoughtful reflections on life. For instance, in “The Moose,” she describes an ordinary bus journey through the rural landscape of Nova Scotia.
The trip turns extraordinary when passengers encounter a moose calmly standing on the road. The moment remains quiet and remarkable, capturing something essential about the connection between humans and the natural world.
Bishop’s thoughtful, quiet poetry may speak deeply to readers who value simplicity and clarity in their reading.
Terry Tempest Williams is an author who combines nature writing with a powerful personal voice, similar to Mary Oliver’s thoughtful reflections on the natural world.
In her book “Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place,” Williams weaves a personal story of loss alongside environmental observations. Amid rising waters of the Great Salt Lake that threaten local wildlife habitats, she finds parallels in her mother’s fight with cancer.
Williams explores family ties, grief, and the environment, creating a narrative that is deeply moving and vividly descriptive.
Readers who appreciate how Mary Oliver connects intimate human moments to the larger patterns of nature will find resonance and richness in Terry Tempest Williams’ writing.