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The political nature of Mary Oliver's poems

Season 40 Episode 5 | 2m 01s

Mary Oliver sought to call attention to the destruction of the earth in her work. According to Oliver, "our enjoyment of the natural world is, in the long run, political."

Support for American Masters is provided by AARP, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, Burton P. and Judith B. Resnick Foundation, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, Jeffrey Katz and Beth Rogers, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, The Marc Haas Foundation, Lillian Goldman Programming Endowment, Seton J. Melvin, Candace King Weir, Koo and Patricia Yuen, Laura Richards and Jim Naughton, Filomen M. Dagostino Foundation, André and Elizabeth Kertész Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Ellen and James S. Marcus, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, The Charina Endowment Fund, and public television viewers.
Extras
Celebrate the life and career of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver.
Mary Oliver met her life partner, photographer Molly Malone Cook, at Steepletop.
Listen to Steve Buscemi read Mary Oliver's poem "The Fish" in this excerpt from the film.
Sports journalist Taylor Rooks has built her career asking athletes the questions that no one asks.
Clive Davis on his journey in the music industry.
Filmmaker Michael Sarnoski breaks down his revisionist version of the Robin Hood story.
Mike Wallace discusses the groundbreaking “60 Minutes” story on tobacco.
Actor Tyler James Williams talks about his acting process and what drives his work.
Olivia Wilde on working with Jeff Bridges on “Tron: Legacy.”
Watch as Oglala Lakota musician Mato Wayuhi draws on ancestral knowledge to inform his process.