Nature, in its various forms and moods, has been a vital muse for poets throughout history. From lush forests to the simple elegance of a wildflower, the natural world provides both an aesthetic refuge and a profound metaphor for human emotions and experiences. This article explores thirteen lesser-known poems where nature significantly shapes the literary work, reflecting on the intricate relationship between human existence and the natural world. These poems delve into how nature influences literature, offering insights into the poets’ views on life, death, identity, and the broader universe.
The 13 Great Poems About How Nature Influenced Literature You May Not Know
1. “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore
Although primarily a Christmas poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas”) is heavily rooted in nature. Clement Clarke Moore’s vivid description of winter’s beauty through snow-covered landscapes creates a magical connection between nature and the narrative of Christmas.
“The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.”
This excerpt shows Moore’s ability to evoke the pristine and almost supernatural quality of nature. The moonlight amplifies the serene beauty of snow, enhancing the poem’s whimsical tone. The natural environment isn’t merely a backdrop; it becomes a character in the story, reflecting the calm, quiet mystery that surrounds St. Nicholas’ visit.
2. “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry
In “The Peace of Wild Things,” Wendell Berry speaks to the therapeutic solace that nature offers in times of personal strife. Nature becomes an antidote to the worries of human life, a space of peace and calm.
“For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.”
Berry’s lines embody the restorative power of nature. In a world filled with uncertainty and anxiety, nature offers an escape—a form of spiritual solace that literature often captures. The “peace” that Berry refers to is not just a passive respite but an active and refreshing return to one’s core, facilitated by nature’s calming presence.
3. “Ode to the West Wind” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Shelley’s “Ode to the West Wind” is an explosive dialogue between nature and the human spirit. The wind, as the central natural element, represents both destruction and renewal, showing nature’s dual capacity to both ravage and rejuvenate.
“Make me thy Lyre, even as the fores of trees
Are my own voice, let me sing in thee.”
Shelley invokes nature not merely for its aesthetic beauty but as a force that can shape human identity. The West Wind serves as a powerful symbol of change, encouraging both destruction of the old and the birth of new ideas. This poem is a testament to how nature, particularly the natural forces, directly inspire and shape artistic expression.
4. “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth
This classic poem remains a quintessential example of how nature influences literature. Wordsworth’s vivid depiction of daffodils, with their carefree nature, represents a timeless connection between the human spirit and the natural world.
“I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils.”
Nature serves as both a source of inspiration and reflection for Wordsworth, mirroring the poet’s emotional journey. The image of the daffodils floating in the wind offers the poet solace and connection to something larger than himself. The natural world here acts as a muse, fostering introspection and poetic expression.
5. “Song of the Open Road” by Walt Whitman
Whitman’s “Song of the Open Road” embodies the American ideal of freedom and adventure, with the natural world serving as the backdrop for both physical and spiritual journeys. The road, trees, and landscape are as much a part of the journey as the traveler.
“The road is life.
The path is a wilderness, yet it is boundless and free.”
Whitman’s metaphorical use of nature underlines the philosophical view of life as a journey—constantly shifting and full of possibilities. Nature is not just an external entity but a mirror of the poet’s personal journey. The poem is rich with the theme of self-discovery, where nature enables the process of growth and transformation.
6. “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
This poem intertwines nature and the supernatural in an eerie and profound exploration of human guilt and redemption. Coleridge’s use of nature explores both its nurturing and destructive capacities.
“Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.”
The vast, indifferent sea here serves as both a physical and moral landscape. The natural world is an essential symbol of the mariner’s punishment, highlighting the theme of man’s alienation from nature. The imagery of water, both abundant and inaccessible, reflects the human struggle for spiritual fulfillment in a world governed by natural forces beyond human control.
7. “The Woodspurge” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
In Rossetti’s “The Woodspurge,” nature becomes a lens for personal grief and contemplation. The poem reflects the melancholic state of a lover grieving a lost relationship, with nature serving as both a reflection of inner turmoil and a source of solace.
“I found the flowers that in the wood,
They were the color of the grass,
And the scent of the woodspurge was sweet.”
Here, nature’s tranquil beauty contrasts with the speaker’s internal chaos. The flowers are small, yet they hold immense meaning for the speaker, symbolizing fragile hope amid sadness. Nature in this poem becomes an emotional mirror, reflecting the speaker’s internal state, while offering a glimpse of peace amid the overwhelming emotion.
8. “The Blackbird” by Wallace Stevens
Stevens’ “The Blackbird” is a meditation on perception and reality, with nature serving as both a subject of contemplation and a means of understanding the world. The blackbird becomes a symbol of how nature helps humans process the complexity of life.
“The poem must resist the intelligence
Almost successfully.”
The blackbird in this poem is not just an object of observation; it is an agent of resistance to intellectualization. Stevens emphasizes how nature, represented by the bird, exists beyond human understanding, urging the reader to embrace the mystery and chaos inherent in both nature and life. Nature here is a pathway to deeper, ineffable truths that resist simple explanation.
9. “Fern Hill” by Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas’ “Fern Hill” is a poignant reflection on youth, innocence, and the passage of time. Nature is a central element of this exploration, serving as both a personal memory and a universal symbol of the fleeting nature of life.
“Time let me hail and climb
Golden in the heydays of his eyes,
And honoured among wagons I was prince of the apple towns.”
In “Fern Hill,” nature is imbued with the innocence and vitality of childhood. The poem conveys a sense of nostalgic loss as the speaker recalls the freedom of youth within the natural world. The landscape is not just a place; it is a reflection of the speaker’s internal experience, imbued with both joy and the inevitability of time’s passage.
10. “To Autumn” by John Keats
Keats’ “To Autumn” is a lyrical celebration of the season’s beauty, but it also delves into deeper themes of mortality and the cycle of life. The poem explores how nature’s rhythms mirror the human experience of growth, decay, and renewal.
“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun.”
Keats’ autumn is not simply a season; it is a metaphor for the maturity of life, with nature embodying the bittersweet passage from youth to age. The imagery in “To Autumn” reflects the cycle of life, where nature’s changing seasons symbolize human growth and inevitable decline, offering a deep meditation on the fleeting nature of existence.
11. “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
Though not strictly about nature in the conventional sense, Poe’s “The Raven” invokes nature in a symbolic way, particularly through the bird. The raven becomes a dark symbol of death and the unknown, pushing the poem’s themes of grief, loss, and mental unraveling.
“Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore.”
The raven, though part of the natural world, transcends its physical existence to become a symbol of psychological torment. Nature here functions as a psychological tool, representing the speaker’s descent into despair and the inescapable pull of grief and regret.
12. “The Daffodils” by William Wordsworth
Another of Wordsworth’s masterpieces, “The Daffodils,” portrays nature as a source of inspiration and solace. Through the daffodils, Wordsworth explores how nature offers emotional renewal, especially when viewed through the lens of a poetic soul.
“For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude.”
Wordsworth’s daffodils represent not only nature’s beauty but also its transformative power on the human soul. The poem conveys how nature’s simple beauty—something as ephemeral as a field of flowers—can remain imprinted on the mind, offering perpetual comfort in times of solitude or melancholy.
13. “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by W.B. Yeats
Yeats’ “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” reflects the poet’s longing for escape from the pressures of modern life, seeking solace in nature’s tranquility. The poem expresses a desire to reconnect with nature as a way to restore inner peace.
“I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made.”
Yeats uses nature as a retreat, a space for personal reflection and renewal. In the poem, the lake island represents an idealized version of peace, showing how nature can offer solace from the complexities of the modern world. It embodies the universal longing for simplicity and harmony, which nature can provide.
Conclusion
From the tranquil daffodils of Wordsworth to the tumultuous West Wind of Shelley, nature’s influence on literature remains an enduring theme. The poets in this article reveal how nature is more than just a setting for their work—it is an active, transformative force that shapes the very essence of their poetic expression. Through their works, we come to understand how nature not only reflects human emotions but also acts as a powerful vehicle for exploring deeper philosophical and existential questions. These thirteen poems are a testament to how literature, rooted in the natural world, offers profound insights into the human experience.
