Phil Kinzel, respected thespian, and poetry historian will present readings from Mary Oliver’s collection, “Devotions” September 12 at 6:30 at LaDeDa Books. Kinzel is best know for his portrayal of Ebeneezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol”, staged by the Center of the Arts, and subsequently by KB Productions, both Manitowoc theatre companies.
Mary Oliver is celebrated for her nature poetry, reflecting on the metaphorical relationship between humanity and the natural world. Over the course of her career, she published over 25 collections or poetry and prose, receiving the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, and the National Book Award. Additional honors include an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Though Oliver’s subject matter was predominantly focused on nature, she was not a nature poet per se. She believed that humans are all part of the natural world, and that much can be learned about the scheme of our lives through close observation of natural surroundings.
Mary Oliver writes:
When it’s over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement. I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
When it is over, I don’t want to wonder
If I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don’t want to find myself sighing, and frightened,
Or full of argument.
I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.

The program is free of charge, but donations to Woodland Dunes Nature Preserve will be appreciated.