"Good-bye Fox," Mary Oliver's poem, was initially published in 2017 as a part of the final collection of poetry entitled Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver. "Good-bye Fox," one of the most cited works of Devotions, is an exploration of the connection between humanity and the natural world through the eyes of a fox and a human who is speaking to it. As with many of Oliver's poems, the fox teaches the human an important lesson in the poem: the point of living is not to understand the fundamental questions of life. The point of living is to have fun and live.
Mary Oliver is one of the most widely read and well-respected American poets of the 20th and 21st centuries. In 1984, Oliver was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, perhaps the most coveted and prestigious prize an author could win. Then, in 1992, Oliver won another important and prestigious award: the National Book Award. Few people - let alone women - can say that they have won a Pulitzer. Fewer can say that they have won both a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award.
Throughout her long and illustrious career, Oliver was famous for exploring nature and the creatures that inhabited it. For instance, the Women's Review of Books wrote that Oliver had an "indefatigable guide to the natural world, particularly to its lesser-known aspects."
"Good-bye Fox" is a prime example of Oliver's exploration of the natural world, as it highlights the connection between the human and animal worlds. The fox is a common symbol in literature and is often used to represent the wild and untamed aspects of nature. In this poem, the fox serves as a reminder to the human speaker that life should be lived fully and without fear.
The poem is also a reflection on the idea of mortality and the passage of time. The fox is saying goodbye to the speaker and the speaker is reflecting on the fleeting nature of life. Oliver's use of the fox as a symbol of the wild and untamed nature of life is a powerful reminder that life is short and should be lived to the fullest.
Throughout her career, Oliver also often wrote about the importance of living in the present moment and not getting caught up in regrets about the past or worries about the future. This message is also present in "Good-bye Fox," as the fox reminds the speaker that the point of living is not to understand the mysteries of life, but to simply live and enjoy it.
In summary, "Good-bye Fox" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the connection between humanity and the natural world through the eyes of a fox and a human. Oliver's use of the fox as a symbol of the wild and untamed nature of life is a powerful reminder that life is short and should be lived to the fullest.
