Last Tuesday, we watched “Mary Oliver: Saved By the Beauty of the World,” an American Masters program on PBS. For the first time ever, I watched TV with my notebook open in front of me, taking notes. It was touching to see so many pictures of her young, wide open face. And the lineup of celebrities who helped pay tribute! Stephen Colbert, Ada Limón, Oprah, Jason Reynolds…wow.
Looking back on my notes, I realized that the were enough turns (or segments) in Mary Oliver’s life for a haiku sonnet: four 5-7-5 haiku ending with one 5 or 7 syllable couplet. And so a new form is born: the biographical haiku sonnet! My poem goes from childhood, to teen years, to adulthood. Next comes the death of her beloved, Molly Malone Cook, and Mary Oliver gets the last word with a line from her poem, “Wild Geese.”
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The Poetry Sisters’ challenge this month was to write haiku sonnets. As usual, I’m not sure which of the Poetry Sisters are in this month, but here they all are, just in case:
Laura @ Laura Purdie Salas
Liz @ Liz Garton Scanlon
Sara @ Read Write Believe
Tanita @ {fiction, instead of lies}
Tricia @ The Miss Rumphius Effect
Mona has the Poetry Friday roundup this week at Mona Voelkel.
More about Mary Oliver and the PBS special via Letters to Dead Authors & Artists on Substack, Letter #46: To Mary Oliver.
A(nother) Year of Reading 
Mary Lee, what a beautiful poem and tribute to Mary Oliver! That movie inspired me greatly, as does your biographical haiku sonnet. I especially love “people die, but never love.” Thank you for this poem and a new form to ponder!!!
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Mary Lee, I just watched the documentary. I did not have a notebook with me but oh, what a wonderful idea because it was just so full of quotes and remembrances and nuggets worth jotting down. This haiku is a lovely, no brilliant capture of MO’s life as portrayed by the documentary. I never knew about her beloved Molly…but I felt the loss of her for Mary. What an amazing way Mary responded to life and death and loss. I feel lucky to have also lived in her time…especially that part of “and meanwhile the world goes on.” Sigh. Thank goodness for Mary Oliver and her confidence in herself as poet.
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Such a beautiful haiku sonnet, Mary Lee. I love the line “ending became beginning.” I loved the inspiring Mary Oliver documentary and can’t wait to watch it again.
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Mary Lee, you are so creative with your use of this form. A perfect ending for such a concise, yet full, biography.
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The documentary is on my watchlist — for this weekend, I think, especially after reading your beautiful (biographical!) haiku sonnet. I love “ending became beginning.”
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It encompasses her life so filled, Mary Lee, with things we still love. She taught us well! I didn’t know about the documentary, so will look for it!
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What a lovely idea, Mary Lee. Wouldn’t teachers have a blast with this? I adore that “ending became beginning” and that you ended with her line. Thanks for the documentary link, too! Putting it on my list.
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I don’t think I quite got the sonnets as separate entities as well as you did – these are lovely. Especially appreciate how ending became beginning is thematic throughout the poem – introducing that as a thought early on weaves perfectly into the ‘inevitably’ and the ‘meanwhile the world goes on.’ Love that.
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Oh, hello!! This is overachieving at its best!! Her whole bio, captured perfectly. She deserves a haiku sonnet — it’s just right for her!
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I haven’t watched the documentary yet, but I will. And I’ll have my notebook with me. I love how you captured her life in haiku segments. What a great new form!
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Mary Lee, I fell asleep before the Mary Oliver program and that disappointed me. Thanks for the poem you wrote with its new format title. Your biographical form is a wonderful summation of Mary Oliver’s being in the world of nature. Wonderful line: “ending became beginning.”
I am going top ponder that line as part of my spiritual journey. Little did I know on April 2, 2026 that my life would not be an ending but a beginning. My spiritual journey is beginning to share your thought.
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Mary Lee, What a perfect topic for your Haiku Sonnet. I hope to watch it this weekend. I hear it is very powerful and I think I will take your suggestion and bring a pen and paper 🙂
Your poem is lovely and I was fascinated in using Haikus for each stanza. Cool way to mix forms. Beautiful!
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Love “ending became beginning” — biographical haiku wisdom 🙂
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This is genius, Mary Lee, to capture a life’s chapters in this form. ( The teacher and poet in you came together!) I return to Oliver’s poems over and over for comfort. She manifests that never ending love to all of us.
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I’m anxious to watch the documentary. We have it bookmarked and ready to watch tonight. Your poem (I can see you with pen and notebook in hand) is beautiful. What a perfect topic for your haiku sonnet. The last two lines are splendid.
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Oh I love that you turned the documentary into a haiku sonnet! I haven’t watched yet. I couldn’t catch it on PBS because I was asleep (first week fo school tired). I’m hoping to catch it on streaming soon.
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