Mary Oliver's poem, We Shake with Joy
Mary Oliver's poem, We Shake with Joy, above, captures the multifaceted nature of the Human Experience. In
a way, Oliver's poem is an artifact that expresses one perspective about the Human Experience.
Please address the following prompts:
1. Choose a different artifact of the Human Experience that you appreciate or that is meaningful to you in some
way. This can be a piece of art, architecture, literature, or music. It can be a play or a film. It can be an idea
from religion or philosophy. Provide a picture or a link to the item if possible.
2. Write a paragraph describing your item and why you appreciate it. Explain how this item is meaningful and
relevant to your individual Human Experience.
3. Write a second paragraph explaining how this item is also part of the larger, universal Human Experience.
What universal human themes does it echo that could make it relevant to many people, in many places, from
many times in history?
4. Be sure to provide an MLA citation for each source you use (it's possible you might only need one citation
for this discussion question). Click here for a refresher: How to Cite Your Work