“The only chance to love this world”: Buddhist mindfulness in Mary Oliver's poetry

Abstract

The article examines selected poems by Mary Oliver from a Buddhist reader's perspective, with a particular focus on Buddhist mindfulness (smrti in Sanskrit and sati in Pali). Her personal style and use of various poetic devices enable the Buddhist reader to uncover mindfulness in her poetry. Since articles are, by their very nature, limited in scope, I will examine only the following three corollaries of mindfulness in Oliver's poetry: 1) Beginner's Mind (called shoshin in Zen Buddhism), 2) Mindful Awareness, and 3) Nowness which constitutes being fully present in the here-and-now. These three corollaries are by no means exhaustive. Mindfulness constitutes a broad theme within Buddhism, and different corollaries may be emphasised by the various Buddhist traditions, schools and sects. I utilise these particular corollaries of mindfulness because they are especially pertinent to her poetry. Furthermore, I will illustrate how they inform Oliver's amazement at, and love relationship with, the natural world, which constitute major topoi in Oliver's work. In addition, I will be discussing these under separate headings to aid the understanding of how each particularly functions within her poetry. However, although these are discussed in more isolation than usual, these corollaries are not mutually exclusive, but interrelated constituents of mindfulness.

Die artikel ondersoek geselekteerde gedigte van Mary Oliver vanuit 'n Boeddhistiese lesersperspektief, met spesifieke verwysing na Boeddhistiese aandagtigheid (smrti in Sanskrit en sati in Pali). Haar persoonlike styl en aanwending van verskeie poëtiese strategieë stel die Boeddhistiese leser in staat om aandagtigheid (“mindfulness”) in haar poësie bloot te lê. Vanweë die beperkte aard van die meeste artikels, sal ek slegs die volgende uitvloeisels van aandagtigheid in Mary Oliver se digkuns bespreek: 1) “Beginner's Mind” (wat as shoshin in die Zen Boeddhisme bekend staan), 2) Aandagtige Opmerksaamheid, en 3) Teenwoordigheid (“Nowness”) wat totale aanwesig-heid-in-die-oomblik behels. Aandagtigheid se drie uitvloeisels put egter geensins die moontlikhede uit nie. Aandagtigheid vorm 'n breë tema binne die Boeddhisme en ander Boeddhistiese tradisies, skole, en sektes mag ander uitvloeisels benadruk. Ek beklemtoon hierdie drie uitvloeisels van aandagtigheid, omdat hulle besonder relevant vir Oliver se poësie is. Vervolgens toon ek aan hoe hierdie uitvloeisels Oliver se verwondering oor, asook haar liefdesverhouding met die natuur, wat hooftopoi van haar digkuns is, uitbeeld. Verder sal ek elke uitvloeisel afsonderlik bespreek ten einde insig te bied in hoe elkeen binne haar digkuns fungeer. Alhoewel hierdie uitvloeisels betreklik in isolasie bespreek word, moet hulle nie as afsonderlike begrippe verstaan word nie, maar eerder as sterk samehangende natuurlike uitvloeisels van aandagtigheid.