For Mary Oliver, the focus of the world is nature—its forests and trees, beaches and river beds, swans and black bears. It is the world of “This grasshopper […] the one who is eating sugar out of my hand.” In her poetry, Oliver holds the natural world up as a site of enduring encounters, of spiritual sustenance, and of life in all its hope and resilience amidst unavoidable vulnerability. In this discussion-based literature course, we will explore Oliver’s poetic engagements, situating them within the context of her formative influences and the impact of her work on fellow poets. Together, we will explore the ways in which immersion in the natural world can challenge us to ask and answer the question: How can we best live our “one wild and precious life?” Alongside Oliver, we will read works by Rumi, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Alice Oswald, Juliana Spahr, and others.
New Participant: $110.00
Returning Participant: $155.00
Day: Wednesdays
Time: 6:15 to 8:15 PM
Location: Zoom
Course leaders: Imogen Brian, Claire English
First session: January 14 2026
Course length: 6 weeks
Degree credit: 1.5 credits
Maximum number of participants: 16
Please note that the Thomas More Institute does not allow participants to audit courses for free.
About the Thomas More Institute: The Thomas More Institute has been providing adults with stimulating lifelong learning opportunities in Montreal since 1945. A secular and non-profit academic institution, TMI offers an ever-evolving choice of university-level courses in the liberal arts, including discussion-based courses, lecture-style courses, writing workshops, and more. Our courses are held in small groups, offering an alternative learning environment to that of traditional university courses. You can take individual courses that interest you, or work toward a structured bachelor of arts degree or comprehensive certificate that involve additional coursework. Share Your Curiosity at TMI!
About course fees: all prices displayed include Tuition and the Administrative fee.
Leaders of another course, and anyone else wishing to register by phone, should call (514) 935-9585 to register.
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