Summary4 min read

The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily – Episode 1569

“Someday” by Mary Oliver

Host: Maggie Smith
Date: July 29, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Slowdown, host Maggie Smith reflects on the resonance and timeless appeal of Mary Oliver’s poetry, centering on Oliver’s poem “Someday.” Maggie shares personal and community anecdotes about Oliver’s widespread influence, her style and clarity, and the way her poems connect with both poetry lovers and the broader public. The episode culminates in a tender reading of “Someday,” inviting listeners to meditate on themes of regret, renewal, and the cycles of the natural world.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Community’s Connection to Poetry

Listener Involvement
- Maggie recounts a recent initiative where the Slowdown community submitted their favorite poems, with listener introductions featured throughout a special week ([00:55]).
- Due to the abundance of submissions, Maggie continued to select and present additional listener favorites in subsequent episodes.

Mary Oliver’s Enduring Impact

Popularity and Universality
- Oliver is introduced as the most suggested poet among listeners, described as “one of this country’s most read poets. A national treasure, her work touched millions of people deeply, and not only those who consider themselves poets or poetry lovers” ([01:38]).
Simplicity and Clarity in Poetry
- Maggie quotes Oliver’s emphasis on clarity in poetry:
  - “Poetry to be understood must be clear. It mustn’t be fancy.”
  - Maggie elaborates that while Oliver’s poems are clear, they are “not simple,” but rather “full of wisdom and joy and deep loneliness and gratitude” ([02:02]).
Wide Reach and Relatability
- Oliver’s poem “Wild Geese” is highlighted as an especially viral and beloved piece, frequently seen “shared on the internet nearly weekly.” Maggie remarks on its persistent relevance and wonders if any poem has been “more shared, more memed, more, dare I say it, bumper stickered” ([02:30]).
- She humorously references a favorite bumper sticker inspired by Oliver’s lines:
  - “Honk if you’re letting the soft animal of your body love what it loves, I will automatically let you merge in front of my car. And maybe I will even forgive you for going under the speed of limit if I see that bumper sticker because I know you’re my people. You’re a kindred spirit.” ([03:02])

What Unites Mary Oliver’s Readers

Shared Values
- Maggie asserts that those drawn to Oliver’s poetry tend to “love the natural world and… pay attention to it and care” ([03:20]).
- She connects the selection of “Someday” to both community suggestion and Oliver’s enduring literary presence.

Featured Poem and Reflection

“Someday” by Mary Oliver ([03:34])

Maggie reads “Someday,” a poem depicting the cycles of growth, hope, and interconnectedness in nature, as well as personal reflection and regret.
Standout themes include the persistence of nature, the interconnectedness of living beings, dreams and ambitions within all things, and a compassionate reckoning with one’s own life choices.
The poem closes on images of abundance and renewal: ripening fruit, sustenance for animals, care for the world’s most famished.

Notable Lines from “Someday”

(Read by Maggie Smith, poem attributed to Mary Oliver)

“Even the oldest of the trees continues its wonderful labor.”
“Everything has dreams, hope, ambition.”
“If I could, I would always live in such shining obedience where nothing but the wind trims the boughs.”
“I am sorry for every mistake I have made in my life. I’m sorry I wasn’t wiser sooner. I’m sorry I ever spoke of myself as lonely.”
“Some of the fruit ripens and is picked and is delicious. Some of it falls and the ants are delighted. Some of it hides under the snow and the famished deer are saved.”

Memorable Moments & Quotes

On Audience and Kindred Spirits ([03:02]):

“If you love the work of Mary Oliver, you love the natural world and you pay attention to it and you care. You have one of our listeners to thank for today's poem… and the beloved Mary Oliver for writing it.”
— Maggie Smith
On Regret, Forgiveness, and Hope ([read at 03:34]):

“I am sorry for every mistake I have made in my life. I’m sorry I wasn’t wiser sooner. I’m sorry I ever spoke of myself as lonely. O love, lay your hands upon me again.”
— Mary Oliver, “Someday” (read by Maggie Smith)

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:55 – 01:38: Maggie introduces the listener suggestion series and response.
01:38 – 03:20: In-depth reflection on Mary Oliver’s unique appeal, clarity in poetry, and wide cultural reach.
03:20 – 03:34: Personal anecdote about Mary Oliver-inspired bumper sticker and sense of poetic community.
03:34 – end: Maggie reads “Someday”; themes of natural cycles, regret, and hope explored.

Episode Takeaways

Mary Oliver’s poetry, as celebrated by both the Slowdown community and Maggie Smith, represents clarity, accessibility, and deep emotional resonance.
“Someday” invites listeners to meditate on life’s regrets, the beauty of paying attention, and the nourishing cycles of the natural world—reminding us of our shared humanity and capacity for hope.

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Transcript2 lines

[00:00]
A
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[00:55]
B
I'm Maggie Smith and this is the Slowdown. You might recall that a little while back we asked you, our community of listeners, to suggest poems for the show. We produced a week of those episodes, and those five listeners introduced the poems they selected. I especially loved hearing your stories and your connections to the poems. But of course there were more than five suggestions that came in, more than we could do in a week. I looked at the selections and chose a few to introduce myself. On the Slowdown, there was one poet who was suggested more than any other, and I don't think the name will surprise you. Mary Oliver the late Mary Oliver is one of this country's most read poets. A national treasure, her work touched millions of people deeply, and not only those who consider themselves poets or poetry lovers. Her work managed to do something rare. It reached people who didn't particularly like or get contemporary poetry. Oliver once told NPR that simplicity was important to her. Poetry to be understood must be clear, she said. It mustn't be fancy. Oliver's poems are clear but not simple. They are full of wisdom and joy and deep loneliness and gratitude. Her poem Wild Geese, which begins, you do not have to be good, is a poem I see shared on the Internet nearly weekly, and its power is not diminished by the number of shares. It feels as true and relevant as ever. Do you know another American poet whose work has been more shared, more memed, more, dare I say it, bumper stickered? I don't My favorite Mary Oliver bumper sticker reads honk. If you're letting the soft animal of your body love what it loves, I will automatically let you merge in front of my car. And maybe I will even forgive you for going under the speed of limit if I see that bumper sticker because I know you're my people. You're a kindred spirit. If you love the work of Mary Oliver, you love the natural world and you pay attention to it and you care. You have one of our listeners to thank for today's poem. Well, one of our listeners for suggesting it, and the beloved Mary Oliver for writing it. Someday by Mary Oliver Even the oldest of the trees continues its wonderful labor. Hummingbird lives in one of them. He's there for the white blossoms and the secrecy. The blossoms could be snow with a dash of pink at first. The fruit is small and green and hard. Everything has dreams, hope, ambition. If I could, I would always live in such shining obedience where nothing but the wind trims the boughs. I am sorry for every mistake I have made in my life. I'm sorry I wasn't wiser sooner. I'm sorry I ever spoke of myself as lonely. O love, lay your hands upon me again. Some of the fruit ripens and is picked and is delicious. Some of it falls and the ants are delighted. Some of it hides under the snow and the famished deer are saved. The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. To get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter. And find us on Instagram @downdownshow and bluesky.downdownshow.org. Hi, it's Maggie. The Slowdown helps you discover new poems and revisit old favorites. You can help us continue showcasing poetry from a diverse swath of authors by making a tax deductible gift. Head to slowdownshow.org donate today.