SUBJECTING NATURE

By Bonnie Stanard

The Plum Tree Tavern publishes poetry that focuses on “specific images of physical nature...[which are] preferred over the writer’s judgments of the image.” I revised my submissions because of Plum Tree’s guidelines and one poem was accepted, which is not the point here. The guidelines suggest more than just an approach to writing a poem.

A TREE AS ME

Editor Streur writes that “the personification of nature trivializes nature.” Personification is evident in some of my poems which, upon consideration, I can see shows a lack of appreciation for the inherent value of nature. Just consider Joyce Kilmer’s poem “Trees,” which gives a tree arms, hair, a mouth and bosom.

POEMS WITHOUT I

According to Plum Tree Editor Russell Streur, “Once the writer injects his or herself into the picture, the poem often becomes more about the image of the writer than about the image of nature.” Obviously we can’t completely remove ourselves. What would be left? Textbook descriptions? However, he admits that “sometimes the I works” and makes the point that writing about nature is different from writing your thoughts about nature.

WRITING YOUR THOUGHTS

You can write about cockroaches until your fingers are blue, but it won’t be as fascinating as a photo or video. A strength of the written word is its ability to reveal notions and feelings that aren’t visible or audible. Personally, I’d rather see a glowing sunset on Netflix than read about one in a poem. Unless, and this is the caveat, the sunset is used to inspire human reflection.

NATURE’S DECLINE

We don’t write about a flock of blackbirds landing in the hay field or the vigor of kudzu because most of us live in suburbia where nature is imprisoned. We write our experiences. We write about a cardinal at the birdfeeder, which is more favorably met by editors who live in suburbia.

NATURE AS VICTIM

Nature’s beauty is for me to enjoy. Animals are to be eaten. Minerals to be mined. Plants to be cultivated. Do we look at nature as a means to accommodate our needs and comfort? Editor Streur’s guidelines warn us against putting our ego above ecology. It’s “the same arrogance that allows the pipeline to be built across the tundra.”

LAST WORD

A quote from Albert Einstein: “A human being is part of the whole, called by us “Universe”; a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely but the striving for such achievement is, in itself, a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.”