The Interconnectedness of Nature and Humanity Through Poetry

  

 

 

(Narrated Version of the Post)

 

This article is broken up into three overarching sections: (I. Biographic Summarization, II. Close Reading, Summary, and Analysis, and III. Lessons Learned). In section II, it is split further into subsections labeled respectively in order of the poem's progression, which follows from section I to section VII. For any future analyses, this is how they will be organized. This article is designed with the premise of teaching it as if it were a lesson. I hope any readers/viewers are able to enjoy the time and effort that was put into this analysis.

 

 

I.                   Biographical Summarization

            Part of the poetic experience is being aware of and observing nature to its fullest and richest extent. The innate beauty that comes with being in nature or observing it is an integral part of the poetic process and is worth noting. Many poets excel in naturalistic poetry, but one of the first authors that comes to mind is Mary Oliver. Born in 1935 in Maple Hills Heights, a small suburb in Ohio, Oliver would go on to be known for her prolific output and her astute, focused representations of nature through her poetry. As a Pulitzer Prize winner, most of Oliver’s work reflected a romanticist perspective on what it is to write about and observe nature. Part of her work is inspired by famous writers like Walt Whitman, whose works shed light on the transcendentalist movement, which emphasized the connection between oneself and the natural world—something that is heavily evoked in almost all of Oliver’s poetry. Having written and published many collections, some of her most popular books are American Primitive, published in 1983; New and Selected Poems, published in 1992; and the last prolific collection she was able to put together, Devotions, published in 2017, just two years before her passing in 2019 at the age of 83.

            Oliver crossed and blended the boundaries of what it meant for the natural world to be infringed upon by the human world and how the connection between oneself and nature is something that deserves a special kind of treatment, one that is full of love and appreciation for both the beauty and the horror that nature can contain. Of Oliver’s many works of prose and poetry, most of which strike you as somber and melancholic, is the piece “To Begin With, The Sweet Grass,” originally published as a part of her collection Evidence, published in 2009, and published again in Devotions (2017), which is where this piece is drawn from now. At its core, this poem aligns with the themes of the other poems in the shared collection, which explore nature through animals, human interaction, human wants and needs, religious questioning, and the soul-searching process of finding oneself through nature. 

 

II.                Close Reading, Summary, and Analysis

To begin, this poem is divided into seven parts, and to delve into each piece with the proper respect it deserves, this analysis will also be formatted accordingly, working slowly through each part one by one. Oliver’s poetry—although not substantively obscured by complex diction—tends to cast “two shadows” of meaning, leading to multiple readings for most of her works, a deliberate and intended feature of these works. “To Begin With, The Sweet Grass,” henceforth referred to as “To Begin,” employs a soft and airy diction to evoke a sense of longing and a connection to and from nature. In this way, Oliver seeks to draw the reader into nature through imagery and simple words that they may already know but which need to be seen in a different light to gain a new perspective. In every way, this piece is a staple and long-standing representation of Mary Oliver's life’s work, showcasing the profound influence nature had on her life.

Section I - Naturalistic Observation

 

                Starting with Section One, Oliver opens the poem by asking questions that seem strange at first. Upon reflection, they reveal themselves as naturalistic improbabilities, or physical observations of things that, given the laws of nature, instincts, or other variables, cannot happen. Upon closer inspection, however, each of these things is necessary for the existence and survival of these animals. An ox cannot stand in the field and not eat the grass, as starvation is not inherent to the nature of an ox. The same goes for an owl biting off its wings; this is not something that can happen, as it hinders the ability to fly while also significantly reducing the odds of survival in the wild. Looking at the end of this section, we have Oliver talking about the “reliability,” “finery,” and “teachings” of Earth and how nature is reliable in the sense that these scenarios explore the impossibilities that exist within animals while also revealing to us that nature has an ebb and flow, a “reliability” that allows for us to see consistency and patterning in ourselves and in our own lives.

 

 

 Section II – Moments of Noticing & Giving 

 

 

Section Two presents a distinct perspective, directly establishing the connection between humanity and nature that is woven throughout this text. Beginning with the first two lines, which stand apart from the rest of the text, they discuss self-indulgence, but more importantly, the kind of indulgence that brings joy in being alive. It is the job of the reader/participator to understand the comfort and delight derivable from those more minor instances of being human or the codification of our existence, which requires us to eat and drink to survive. However, Oliver is not only saying that but also suggesting that one must pay attention to nature and force oneself to become a part of it. She essentially wants the reader/participator to become like the hummingbirds and absorb the sweetness of nature, life, and being alive. 

Oliver expresses the importance of one thing leading to another here and how the more time you spend with yourself connected to nature and in tune with your refineries and traits innate to you, given to you by nature, you will begin to realize more and more about what is occurring in nature. Those smaller moments of your day that you typically don't think much about will become 'hotspot' moments of noticing, where the world is alive in your eyes, and you have no choice but to watch and pay attention to it. The adoption of this precise form of noticing and attention to detail permeates our existence, paving the way for stronger connections between those we love. Once we can mix ourselves with nature and understand its functions, we will be better able to recognize those functions in human interactions. The small act of noticing can reveal new things about friends or even partners that you may not have considered. Nature connects us more deeply to ourselves than we were before, so to become “intimate” with nature means to develop deeper and richer connections. The ending of this section explicitly highlights the physicality of nature by having the air we breathe become a tangible entity that begs for our support in dwelling within our lungs, helping us feel more alive. By letting nature exist within you, you become even more capable of those smaller moments of noticing, through which you can develop more fulfilling connections.

  

 

 

 

 

Section III – Reminders of Humanity’s Connection to Nature

 

 

Splitting this section into three distinct pieces, using the speaker as Oliver herself, we can see that in the first and second stanzas, she is telling us that the entire purpose of being alive is to scrutinize and interrogate what it means to live within nature and to appreciate it. Her whole goal, which is all she knows, is to remind others to enjoy and savor those moments by noticing the intricacies of how nature functions. It is not meant to be merely gazed at but to be absorbed and understood when examined closely and questioned. The primary function of this section of the work is to encourage readers to immerse themselves in nature, analyze it closely, and become part of it. The last stanza of this section is arguably the most important.

            The function of this last stanza is to serve as a reminder for all readers. It is, more specifically, a plea from Oliver to her audience, namely, to remember these particular aspects of nature. She reminds us that nature and the wonders of the world are more than just the individuals inhabiting them; it's about surrendering to the world around us entirely. It's giving back to the world on both sides: the human side and the natural side. In our everyday lives, we often take the life we’ve been given for granted and fail to appreciate the world that has been built around us by both others and nature. It is more than just individualism; it is a collectivist ideology that suggests we are never truly alone in this world, even if it may feel that way. This world is more than just bones (our bones, animal bones, etc.), but rather one of praising and relishing in the delights of nature and being alive. If we continue to honor and uplift both the human and natural aspects of our world, we will have more bountiful days to come. 

 

 

 Section IV & V – The Interconnectedness of Community

 

            While the other sections focused on nature, humanity, and their connection, sections 4 and 5 focus entirely on the idea of communities and relishing in the delight of our interconnectedness. In the first stanza of section 4, the mention of the name Paulus is Oliver’s direct reference to one of her long-time friends, Paulus Berensohn, who—quite literally—was a dancer and a potter but shared a similar interest in ecology, just like Oliver. His inclusion here and his creation of the begging bowl is one of those things that cast two shadows. The first shadow is interpretive, with this bowl serving as a means for people to give to those in need and help build community connections. The second shadow has literal meanings, as the begging bowl is an essential component of the Buddhist religion, used to collect offerings of money or food from supporters. The bowl is used by a woman who provides rice to the Buddha who was meditating, encouraging support, community, and humility. The Buddha took the rice, divided it into portions, and tossed the bowl, indicating a reliance wholly on the sustenance provided by the woman, who can be seen as a representative of the community. Oliver—in stanza two—is using the begging bowl as a means to suggest that we, as humans, must practice reliance on our communities and the world around us. She is saying that we need to practice giving without expecting anything in return except for support from the world in the future. Then, with the significantly shorter section 5, she reminds us that change happens both within us and around us and that no matter what, we should continue to celebrate change, tying in that without community, it is hard for us to be susceptible to nature and the chances given to us by change.

 

 

 

Section VI  - Questioning Humanity

 

 

            Using a shorter section here, Oliver’s intentions with this poem still ring true. The entire poem has spent most of its reading time exploring, questioning, and understanding the connection between humanity and the natural world. This section is no different in the sense that Oliver is reaching out yet again to her audience, asking if the beauty we so often appreciate in finer things, such as sunsets or the sparkle of the sun on a body of water, is something that exists for some fabulous reason. She is asking us this question because she wants to know if we agree with her opinion that beauty does exist for some fabulous reason. Then, going further to inquire that—if we are to disagree with her—saying that the enchantment that exists in our world (people, nature, romance, etc.) is not enough for us, what would we need to appreciate it? This is a question for those who lack self-satisfaction or find themselves unaligned with their neighbors and peers in terms of appreciating both the beauty and the grittier aspects of our existence. Our world—Earth—reasonably provides everything we need to love it. So, what else do you need? Oliver’s argument falls somewhere along the lines of teaching us to be more receptive to our communities and pay closer attention to how our existence, as a conglomerate, is not possible without the support and love of everyone involved.

 

Section VII – The True Fusion of the Human Soul & Nature

 

            The final section of “To Begin” starts with a realization by Oliver herself, giving her voice a depth that comes from beyond the page. However, there is a valuable lesson to be learned from Oliver in the message that, through our many difficulties in life, we are capable of reframing our mindset to realize that we are not truly alone. In the beginning, as we start to grow as individuals, it may feel as though the journey we are on is unique to us when, in reality, many have traversed these paths long before us. We begin our growth by trusting ourselves, as we may not yet have the right people around us. However, as we work through those who seek to harm us or exploit our existence, we will find those who genuinely value us in the world. Bringing in this idea of nourishment is key, as all of these experiences—both good and bad—shape us and our perception of the world. You can either let your experiences bring you down, or you can let them fill you with hope and the promise of a better future for yourself and the world. You will learn to process those problematic experiences as just another part of the world and extend love to those who seek to harm you, thereby canceling out their negativity. In this section, the use of the word “younger” does not necessarily imply age-wise, but rather the malleability and susceptibility of a youthful mind, one who is open to new ideas and perspectives such as “loving thy enemy” and realizing that in all of our existence, the knowledge we’ve gained is precious and worth holding on to. Upon finally accepting what we know and who we have become, we are capable of fully loving ourselves and surrendering to the world, allowing it to love us as we are, where we are. In return, the world asks for nothing but your unending support and love. Humankind and nature are deeply intertwined on all levels, including “loving” oneself as a means of loving one’s world. But using the art of casting two shadows also means loving your neighbors, animals, and all those little moments of noticing, just as Oliver reminded us about earlier in the poem. We cannot separate nature from ourselves because it exists in all of us. Love all that you are, and then give it back to the world, precisely those you love, the Earth and nature, and any future moments of beauty you may be fortunate enough to experience.  

 

 

 

 

III. Lessons Learned 

 

Mary Oliver’s poetry opens the door for an in-depth analysis of what works and what does not when it comes to writing about nature. The art of writing poetry is something that not many casual writers find great pleasure in and is often viewed as a higher level of art when, realistically, it is simply words on a page organized with meaning and written with care and consideration. When considering “To Begin” as a poem that is a perfect example of how to portray humanity’s connection to nature, it is essential to understand that she used explicit imagery to help evoke a sense of connection to nature while using specific references to animals and different elements of nature such as flowers to help lay the groundwork for the metaphorical ideologies and subjectivity that happen later in the poem. A poem like this one requires an open mind and the willingness to make connections that might seem like a stretch but do a great deal more for one's understanding of the work. This poem teaches us that a simple organizational structure, which slowly builds upon each prior part of the work, helps us scaffold our knowledge and understanding while allowing us to make connections unique to that specific section. It shows us that writing about nature opens the door to writing about experiences in nature, such as the connection between two individuals, or something as simple as walking through a forest. Oliver’s work demonstrates the profound impact of nature as a powerful inspiration for exploring multiple ideas simultaneously.