Abby Wolfe Introduction
A Thematic Approach to Nature: “..If you’ll let a guide direct you/ Who only has at heart your getting lost”
Arguably, imagery takes its most personalized form as an element of figurative language in its usage of describing elements of nature in ways that relate humans with the universe in an artistic form that cannot be done in any other way, except perhaps to simply go out and become so lost in the beauty of the nature (most oftentimes, which then transports us to simpler times of the past) that these six poems iterate so explicably. In “Directive”, Robert Frost’s poem causes the speaker to come across in an almost-begging manner of the reader to “let a guide direct you/ Who only has at heart your getting lost”. This piece of work is heavily influential and relatable, as the only way to eventual peace and closure is to revisit the “town that is no more a town” in order to successfully find oneself amongst all the wreckage of the past and move forward with the future.
Next, Frost again outdoes himself with the didactic poem, “The Road Not Taken”, relating the metaphor of two entirely different roads diverged in the woods that have since become a classic idea known to man of the choice of entirely different paths of life. Frost remarks that although from the start they are similar in appearance, the road less traveled by is essential to the success not only of his generation, but “ages and ages hence”. “Uphill” by Christina Rossetti also features a speaker who is omniscient, answering questions in a confident manner. The evident relationship of the Christian’s life to that of a nature traveler’s accomplishes the task of convincing the one asking the questions, as the readers will more than likely relate with the goals of the hard worker who has struggled many a “long day” in the poem.
Louise Gluck’s “A Summer Garden” focuses on a particular aspect of viewing the beauty of nature as a loss of the past in photography. A melancholy, nostalgic tone is established as Gluck explains that the past that only exists in photography and not in memories cannot fully be experienced, except of course for the scenery, which even then does not expose the true feelings of the moment. Only those in the photograph could understand what was happening at the time, “as the past is buried in the future”. Joanna Klink’s poem, “3 Bewildered Landscapes”, compares three different quiet scenes in nature that are untouched by human existence and are simply beautiful and effective in their own way, exposing the idea for the reader to ponder that “being lost means not knowing what it means”, to let go of negative connotations of “being lost” and just to essentially be, as nature exists just by being, not doing.
Finally, Donald Justice’s “Absences”, the past is immediately thought of as a time of innocence and adolescence as the image of the tinkling of keys of a piano is “quiet and remote” but quickly takes a turn for the worst as the memories begin to “fall away” and the image of the piano turns harshly into “terrible scales”. Yet another depressing thought that the most genuine memories we have experienced are as flighty to the mind as the seasons. In each of the aforementioned poems, aspects of nature are discovered in an entirely unique way than commonly thought of, and allows the readers to question their own personal growth as far as their pursuit of happiness is concerned, perhaps requiring that they too attempt to grasp for the past by escaping in the most simplest form of it through nature before combating the struggles of the future.
Arguably, imagery takes its most personalized form as an element of figurative language in its usage of describing elements of nature in ways that relate humans with the universe in an artistic form that cannot be done in any other way, except perhaps to simply go out and become so lost in the beauty of the nature (most oftentimes, which then transports us to simpler times of the past) that these six poems iterate so explicably. In “Directive”, Robert Frost’s poem causes the speaker to come across in an almost-begging manner of the reader to “let a guide direct you/ Who only has at heart your getting lost”. This piece of work is heavily influential and relatable, as the only way to eventual peace and closure is to revisit the “town that is no more a town” in order to successfully find oneself amongst all the wreckage of the past and move forward with the future.
Next, Frost again outdoes himself with the didactic poem, “The Road Not Taken”, relating the metaphor of two entirely different roads diverged in the woods that have since become a classic idea known to man of the choice of entirely different paths of life. Frost remarks that although from the start they are similar in appearance, the road less traveled by is essential to the success not only of his generation, but “ages and ages hence”. “Uphill” by Christina Rossetti also features a speaker who is omniscient, answering questions in a confident manner. The evident relationship of the Christian’s life to that of a nature traveler’s accomplishes the task of convincing the one asking the questions, as the readers will more than likely relate with the goals of the hard worker who has struggled many a “long day” in the poem.
Louise Gluck’s “A Summer Garden” focuses on a particular aspect of viewing the beauty of nature as a loss of the past in photography. A melancholy, nostalgic tone is established as Gluck explains that the past that only exists in photography and not in memories cannot fully be experienced, except of course for the scenery, which even then does not expose the true feelings of the moment. Only those in the photograph could understand what was happening at the time, “as the past is buried in the future”. Joanna Klink’s poem, “3 Bewildered Landscapes”, compares three different quiet scenes in nature that are untouched by human existence and are simply beautiful and effective in their own way, exposing the idea for the reader to ponder that “being lost means not knowing what it means”, to let go of negative connotations of “being lost” and just to essentially be, as nature exists just by being, not doing.
Finally, Donald Justice’s “Absences”, the past is immediately thought of as a time of innocence and adolescence as the image of the tinkling of keys of a piano is “quiet and remote” but quickly takes a turn for the worst as the memories begin to “fall away” and the image of the piano turns harshly into “terrible scales”. Yet another depressing thought that the most genuine memories we have experienced are as flighty to the mind as the seasons. In each of the aforementioned poems, aspects of nature are discovered in an entirely unique way than commonly thought of, and allows the readers to question their own personal growth as far as their pursuit of happiness is concerned, perhaps requiring that they too attempt to grasp for the past by escaping in the most simplest form of it through nature before combating the struggles of the future.
Begin this path: Abby Wolfe Introduction
- Wolfe Poem 1 Intro
- Wolfe Poem 1
- Wolfe Poem 1 Annotation 1
- Wolfe Poem 1 Annotation 2
- Wolfe Poem 1 Annotation 2
- Wolfe Poem 1 Annotation 3
- Wolfe Poem 2 Intro
- Wolfe Poem 2
- Wolfe Poem 2 Annotation 1
- Wolfe Poem 2 Annotation 2
- Wolfe Poem 2 Annotation 3
- Wolfe Poem 3 Intro
- Wolfe Poem 3
- Wolfe Poem 3 Annotation 1
- Wolfe Poem 3 Annotation 2
- Wolfe Poem 3 Annotation 3
- Wolfe Poem 4 Intro
- Wolfe Poem 4
- Wolfe Poem 4 Annotation 1
- Wolfe Poem 4 Annotation 1
- Wolfe Poem 4 Annotation 2
- Wolfe Poem 4 Annotation 3
- Wolfe Poem 5 Intro
- Wolfe Poem 5
- Wolfe Poem 5 Annotation 1
- Wolfe Poem 5 Annotation 2
- Wolfe Poem 5 Annotation 3
- Wolfe Poem 6 Intro
- Wolfe Poem 6
- Wolfe Poem 6 Annotation 1
- Wolfe Poem 6 Annotation 2
- Wolfe Poem 6 Annotation 2
- Wolfe Poem 6 Annotation 3
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