Skip to Main Content

Unpacking the meaning behind Mary Oliver's "Wild Geese"

"Wild Geese" is one of Mary Oliver's most popular poems. Poet David Keplinger, musician Lucy Dacus, and comedian Stephen Colbert share what the poem means to them. "We think of wild as chaotic, but wild is harmonious with the wilderness, which is where we all came from," said Colbert. "We're born wild."
Go to episode
chevrons
Clip Season 40 Episode 5 Length 02:30 Premiere: 08/25/26

Recent Episodes

Sponsored by:

Coral and blue background. Text reads Three production facilities create hundreds of hours of educational, cultural, and public affairs content each yearCoral and blue background. Text reads Three production facilities create hundreds of hours of educational, cultural, and public affairs content each year

Clips & Previews

Specials

Season 40 Episodes

American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez
S40 E6 Length 1:31:01 Premiere Date 10/06/26

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World
S40 E5 Length 1:22:55 Premiere Date 08/25/26

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause
S40 E4 Length 1:52:45 Premiere Date 05/19/26

Bella! This Woman's Place Is in the House
S40 E3 Length 1:40:12 Premiere Date 03/17/26

Sun Ra: Do The Impossible
S40 E2 Length 1:23:05 Premiere Date 02/20/26

Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire
S40 E1 Length 1:23:55 Premiere Date 01/27/26

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World
Preview Length 02:37 Premiere Date 08/25/26

The political nature of Mary Oliver's poems
Clip Length 02:00 Premiere Date 08/25/26

Steve Buscemi reads Mary Oliver's poem, "The Fish"
Clip Length 01:18 Premiere Date 08/25/26

How Mary Oliver met her life partner, Molly Malone Cook
Clip Length 01:26 Premiere Date 08/25/26

Mary Oliver had a troubled childhood
Clip Length 02:32 Premiere Date 08/25/26

Unpacking the meaning behind Mary Oliver's "Wild Geese"
Clip Length 02:30 Premiere Date 08/25/26

Steve Buscemi reads Mary Oliver's "The First Time Percy Came Back"
Clip Length 00:58 Premiere Date 08/25/26

Lucy Dacus reads Mary Oliver's "The Journey"
Clip Length 01:06 Premiere Date 08/25/26

Remembering Paula Wayne
Clip Length 03:09 Premiere Date 11/12/18

Artists Flight Series Promo
Preview Length 00:30 Premiere Date 08/31/18

Remembering Neil Simon
Clip Length 01:04 Premiere Date 08/28/18

Remembering Anthony Bourdain
Clip Length 00:24 Premiere Date 06/08/18

Against All Odds: Meet the Woman Behind American Masters
Clip Length 05:29 Premiere Date 03/09/18

See All Episodes

caret down

TV Schedules

Upcoming

No upcoming airdates

Jump to Upcoming Airdates

Recent

American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez - S38 E5

  • Thursday October 8, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET
  • Thursday October 8, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET
  • Tuesday October 6, 2026 9:00 pm ET on KET
  • Tuesday October 6, 2026 8:00 pm CT on KET
Top

Explore KET