Mary Oliver’s poem, “Wild Geese” illustrates the natural cycle that occurs both in mankind and nature. She explains that despite some unexpected variations, all things start at a given point, changes in a general order, and eventually begins over again. In an unrhymed, yet melodic in rhythm, Oliver’s poem illustrates this cycle. Oliver structures the poem to address the reader directly using the pronoun “you” and visually with striking imagery of nature. The combination of these two elements allows her to compare nature’s cycle to that of humanity. Oliver’s poem encourages the reader to be ambitious as, “the world offer itself to your imagination” (Oliver, 15). However, Oliver assures the reader that if this ambition leads to a path of despair remember, “like the wild geese ...” (16), everyone has a home. Like in nature, despite of some unexpected desolation, there is always a place in the cycle of life for everyone. In the first stanza, Oliver speaks to the reader directly with a tone that offers the reader support. For instance, the first line, “You do not have to be good” (1), Oliver confirms to the reader that each person mere existence is cherished, good or evil. She continues by expressing how many people harbor some type of guilt in the lines, “You do not have to walk on your knees / for a hundred miles thought the desert, repenting” (2-3). The poet use of the words “knees” and “repenting” in the above lines points to how many in search for acceptance and forgiven turn to spiritual worship. However, the lines that follow offer the reader with an alternative to divine adoration. Oliver states, “You only have to let the soft animal of your body / love what it loves” (4-5). These lines draw the reader attention to nature, in particular soft animals, indicating vulnerability. Yet, these animals still follow their natural instinct and wander without restraint. Oliver again begins the sec