Quote by Mary Oliver: “Someone once said that if you don't know the woods, you don't know anything.”

This quote, which Mary Oliver uses to preface her own deep connection to nature, suggests that an understanding of the natural world is fundamental to true wisdom. It implies that genuine knowledge stems from appreciating the complexities beyond human constructs.

Included in a comprehensive selection of her works, this statement encapsulates her core belief in the intrinsic value of nature as a teacher. It resonated with readers feeling overwhelmed by urban life and seeking deeper wisdom.

American poet whose work focused on the natural world and the human capacity for attention and wonder. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1984 for American Primitive and the National Book Award in 1992, and her poetry became beloved for its accessibility and deep attentiveness to ordinary life.