Summary4 min read

All Of It with Alison Stewart: "A Wonder Is What It Is" — Nick Offerman Reads 'The Wild Rose' by Wendell Berry

Date: April 10, 2026
Guest Host: Nick Offerman

Episode Overview

In this Poetry Month special episode of "A Wonder Is What It Is," Nick Offerman (actor, author, and passionate reader) selects and reads Wendell Berry’s poem “The Wild Rose,” reflecting on its themes of love, commitment, and the daily rediscovery found in long-term relationships. Offerman not only recites the poem with reverence, but also shares personal insights, connecting Berry's words to his own experience and extolling the subtle, profound joys of fidelity and devotion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing the Series and Poem

Timestamp 01:32
- Nick Offerman introduces himself as a non-poet who deeply admires Wendell Berry’s poetry, especially for Poetry Month on WNYC.
- Offerman explains the structure of the "A Wonder Is What It Is" series: each episode features him reading a poem by Berry and reflecting on its meaning.
"I'm sharing the work of a truly good poet, Wendell Berry. A Wonder Is what It Is is a series of his exceptional words read aloud by me... then some thinking aloud on those lines of poetry, also by me. Also slowly." — Nick Offerman [01:34]

2. Context and Significance of 'The Wild Rose'

Timestamp 02:22
- Offerman introduces “The Wild Rose” from Berry’s 1994 collection "Entries."
- Shares that the poem is not only a personal favorite but was also requested by Berry’s wife, Tanya, highlighting its deep resonance within Berry’s personal life.
- Notes that writer George Saunders set the poem to music as an anniversary gift, demonstrating the poem's broad impact.
"It's not just a favorite of mine, it was also requested of me by Wendell's estimable bride, Tanya. And America's sweetheart George Saunders loves it so much he set it to music... as an anniversary gift for his better half." — Nick Offerman [02:34]

3. Reading of ‘The Wild Rose’

Timestamp 03:07

Offerman reads Wendell Berry’s poem with deliberate pacing and emotional sensitivity:

"Sometimes hidden from me in daily custom and in trust, so that I live by you unaware as by the beating of my heart.
Suddenly you flare in my sight,
A wild rose blooming at the edge of thicket, grace and light, where yesterday was only a shade and once more I am blessed,
Choosing again what I chose before." — Wendell Berry read by Nick Offerman [03:07]

4. Offerman’s Reflection and Interpretation

Timestamp 03:44
- Offerman recalls the first Berry story he read, “Fidelity,” and draws connections between Berry’s ideas of family loyalty, disciplined living, and ongoing commitment.
- He discusses the poem’s celebration of choosing one’s beloved “again and again,” noting the repeated discovery of beauty in long-term partnership.
"The nod herein to the consistent rewards of commitment to a faithful marriage. The intimation that by adhering to one's vows and repeatedly choosing our beloved spouse in daily custom and in trust, we will be surprised and rewarded again and again by the beauty and wildness of the rose at the edge of the thicket." — Nick Offerman [04:09]
- Offerman expresses admiration for Berry’s romantic gesture towards his wife, aiming to emulate this elegance in his own marriage.
"I also just think that writing this about his wife Tanya... is so elegantly romantic. As a grateful husband of 23 years, I aspire to such a gesture." — Nick Offerman [04:36]

5. Closing Thoughts and Invitation to Listen Further

Timestamp 04:50
- Offerman wraps up by inviting listeners to join future episodes for more readings and reflections on Berry’s poetry.
"I hope you'll join me again for episode three and more of Wendell Berry's elegance in verse." — Nick Offerman [04:52]

Memorable Quotes and Moments

On discovering and appreciating quiet love:
"So that I live by you unaware as by the beating of my heart."
— Wendell Berry read by Nick Offerman [03:10]
On enduring commitment:
"Choosing again what I chose before."
— Wendell Berry read by Nick Offerman [03:14]
On aspiring to everyday romance:
"As a grateful husband of 23 years, I aspire to such a gesture."
— Nick Offerman [04:41]

Important Segments with Timestamps

Series Introduction | 01:32
Context of the poem, anecdote about George Saunders | 02:22
'The Wild Rose' full reading | 03:07
Personal reflection on Berry’s themes | 03:44
Closing invitation to listen further | 04:50

Tone and Style

Offerman’s delivery is thoughtful, gentle, and grounded—combining dry wit and heartfelt sincerity. The episode balances literary appreciation, personal narrative, and a reverent approach to the poetry’s emotional core.

In Summary:
Nick Offerman’s reading of “The Wild Rose” brings Wendell Berry’s celebration of quiet, faithful love to life, drawing connections from the poem to everyday acts of devotion and rediscovery. His reflections encourage listeners to cherish the “wild roses” in their own relationships and to find beauty in daily rituals of commitment.

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Transcript9 lines

[00:00]
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[01:33]
Nick Offerman
Hello there and welcome to the second episode of a Wonder Is what It Is. I'm Nick Offerman, an actor and author and woodworker and appreciator of good poetry. But I'm not a poet myself. That's why for this Poetry Month series on wnyc, I'm sharing the work of a truly good poet, Wendell Berry. A Wonder Is what It Is is a series of his exceptional words read aloud by me, one set of them per episode, slowly, and then some, thinking aloud on those lines of poetry, also by me, Nick Offerman. Also slowly. Today's offering is from the 1994 collection called Entries entitled the Wild Rose. It is not just a favorite of mine, it was also requested of me by Wendell's estimable bride, Tanya. And America's sweetheart George Saunders loves it so much he set it to music and recorded it on Vote. I've Been Working all Day. And America's sweetheart George Saunders loves it so much he set it to music and recorded it on voice and guitar as an anniversary gift for his better half, Paula. So without further ado, here it is, the wild rose sometimes hidden from me in daily custom and in trust, so that I live by you unaware as by the beating of my heart. Suddenly you flare in my sight, A wild rose blooming at the edge of thicket, grace and light, where yesterday was only a shade and once more I am blessed, Choosing again what I chose before this poem brings to mind the first story of Wendell Berry's that I ever read called Fidelity, wherein I first discovered his recurring theme of familial and household loyalty, as well as the reverence he has for the moderation of disciplined living. The nod herein to the consistent rewards of commitment to a faithful marriage. The intimation that by adhering to one's vows and repeatedly choosing our beloved spouse in daily custom and in trust, we will be surprised and rewarded again and again by the beauty and wildness of the rose at the edge of the thicket. I also just think that writing this about his wife Tanya, which is whom I presume he's buttering up here, is so elegantly romantic. As a grateful husband of 23 years, I aspire to such a gesture. I hope you'll join me again for episode three and more of Wendell Berry's elegance in verse.
[05:20]
Home Depot Advertiser
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