Poems on Nature

Introduction to Poems on Nature

 

Definition:

 

Poems on nature celebrate the beauty, power, and serenity of the natural world. They explore themes like the changing seasons, the majesty of landscapes, the delicate balance of ecosystems, and the profound connection between humans and their environment. Through vivid imagery, sensory details, and emotional resonance, these poems evoke the sights, sounds, and feelings inspired by nature. They often reflect on the harmony and cycles of life, fostering a deeper appreciation for the world around us and encouraging a sense of stewardship for the earth.

 

Poems on Nature Examples

1. “Daffodils” by William Wordsworth

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;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

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;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

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2. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

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3. “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

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4. “Ode to the West Wind” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being,
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,
Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,
Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou,
Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed

The wingèd seeds, where they lie cold and low,
Each like a corpse within its grave, until
Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow
Her clarion o’er the dreaming earth, and fill
(Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air)
With living hues and odours plain and hill:

Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere;
Destroyer and preserver; hear, O hear!

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5. “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Short Poems on Nature

1. “Autumn Leaves”

Autumn leaves, red and gold,
Gently fall, stories told.
Whispers in the crisp, cool air,
Nature’s beauty, beyond compare.

2. “Morning Dew”

Morning dew on blades of grass,
Sparkling gems that quickly pass.
Sunrise paints the sky so blue,
Nature wakes, fresh and new.

3. “Forest Song”

In the forest, tall trees sway,
Whispering secrets of the day.
Birds sing sweetly, rivers flow,
Nature’s melody, soft and low.

4. “Ocean Waves”

Ocean waves crash on the shore,
Endless rhythm, timeless roar.
Salty breeze and seagull’s cry,
Nature’s wonder, sea and sky.

5. “Mountain Peaks”

Mountain peaks, so high and grand,
Touching heavens, proudly stand.
Snowy caps and valleys green,
Nature’s majesty, serene.

6. “Summer Breeze”

Summer breeze, so warm and light,
Dancing leaves in gentle flight.
Golden sun and skies so clear,
Nature’s laughter, brings us cheer.

7. “Spring Bloom”

Springtime bloom, colors bright,
Flowers dancing in the light.
Life awakens, skies so blue,
Nature’s promise, fresh and new.

8. “Winter’s Touch”

Winter’s touch, a blanket white,
Snowflakes falling, soft and light.
Silent woods and frozen streams,
Nature’s stillness, winter dreams.

9. “Sunset Glow”

Sunset glow, the day’s end near,
Colors blaze as night draws near.
Crimson, gold, and shades of pink,
Nature’s canvas, makes us think.

10. “Rain’s Embrace”

Gentle rain, a soft embrace,
Kissing earth, a tender grace.
Pitter-patter, soothing sound,
Nature’s love, all around.

Poems on Nature for kids

1. “The Busy Bee”

The busy bee buzzes all day,
Gathering nectar along the way.
From flower to flower, it flies so free,
Making honey for you and me.

2. “Little Cloud”

A little cloud floats in the sky,
Changing shapes as it drifts by.
A bunny, a dragon, a sailing boat,
High above, it likes to float.

3. “The Tall Tree”

The tall tree reaches for the sun,
Branches stretching, one by one.
Birds make nests and squirrels play,
In the tree, both night and day.

4. “Friendly Rain”

Pitter-patter on the ground,
Friendly rain makes a lovely sound.
Watering plants and filling streams,
Helping nature grow and dream.

5. “Mr. Sun”

Mr. Sun shines big and bright,
Giving us warm and lovely light.
He wakes the flowers and warms the sea,
Mr. Sun smiles down on me.

6. “The Little Seed”

A little seed sleeps in the ground,
Waiting quietly without a sound.
With rain and sun, it starts to grow,
Into a plant, nice and slow.

7. “The Gentle Breeze”

The gentle breeze whispers near,
Tickling leaves, cool and clear.
It dances through the meadow wide,
Nature’s friend, on every side.

8. “Snowflake”

Snowflake, snowflake, soft and white,
Falling gently through the night.
Each one different, each one small,
Nature’s magic, after all.

9. “Butterfly”

Butterfly, butterfly, flying high,
Bright and colorful in the sky.
From flower to flower, you gently glide,
Nature’s beauty, far and wide.

10. “The Chirping Crickets”

The chirping crickets sing their song,
In the grass where they belong.
A nighttime chorus, sweet and clear,
Nature’s music for all to hear.

Famous Poems on Nature

1. “Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey” by William Wordsworth

Five years have past; five summers, with the length
Of five long winters! and again I hear
These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs
With a sweet inland murmur. — Once again
Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs,
Which on a wild secluded scene impress
Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect
The landscape with the quiet of the sky.
The day is come when I again repose
Here, under this dark sycamore, and view
These plots of cottage-ground, these orchard-tufts,
Which at this season, with their unripe fruits,
Are clad in one green hue, and lose themselves
‘Mid groves and copses. Once again I see
These hedge-rows, hardly hedge-rows, little lines
Of sportive wood run wild: these pastoral farms,
Green to the very door; and wreaths of smoke
Sent up, in silence, from among the trees!
With some uncertain notice, as might seem
Of vagrant dwellers in the houseless woods,
Or of some Hermit’s cave, where by his fire
The Hermit sits alone.

2. “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by W.B. Yeats

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

3. “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring’d with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.

4. “Pied Beauty” by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Glory be to God for dappled things—
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough;
And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim.

All things counter, original, spare, strange;
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
Praise him.

5. “The Windhover” by Gerard Manley Hopkins

I caught this morning morning’s minion, king-
dom of daylight’s dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon, in his riding
Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and striding
High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing
In his ecstasy! then off, off forth on swing,
As a skate’s heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend: the hurl and gliding
Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding
Stirred for a bird,—the achieve of, the mastery of the thing!

Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here
Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion
Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!

No wonder of it: shéer plód makes plough down sillion
Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,
Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermillion.

Poems About Nature and Peace

“The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by W.B. Yeats

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

“To a Skylark” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!
Bird thou never wert,
That from Heaven, or near it,
Pourest thy full heart
In profuse strains of unpremeditated art.

Higher still and higher
From the earth thou springest
Like a cloud of fire;
The blue deep thou wingest,
And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest.

In the golden lightning
Of the sunken sun,
O’er which clouds are bright’ning,
Thou dost float and run;
Like an unbodied joy whose race is just begun.

“Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey” by William Wordsworth

Five years have past; five summers, with the length
Of five long winters! and again I hear
These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs
With a sweet inland murmur. — Once again
Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs,
Which on a wild secluded scene impress
Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect
The landscape with the quiet of the sky.

“The Snow Man” by Wallace Stevens

One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;

And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter

Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,

Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place

For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

“The Quiet World” by Jeffrey McDaniel

In an effort to get people to look
into each other’s eyes more, and also to appease
the mutes, the government has decided
to allot each person exactly one hundred
and sixty-seven words, per day.

When the phone rings, I put it to my ear
without saying hello. In the restaurant
I point at chicken noodle soup. I am
adjusting well to the new way.

Late at night, I call my long-distance lover
and proudly say: I only used fifty-nine today.
I saved the rest for you.

When she doesn’t respond, I know she’s used up
all her words, so I slowly whisper I love you
thirty-two and a third times. After that, we just sit
on the line and listen to each other breathe.

Nature Poetry Quotes

1. “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry
   “I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water.”
2. “Daffodils” by William Wordsworth
   “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.”
3. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost
   “The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.”
4. “To Autumn” by John Keats
   “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, close bosom-friend of the maturing sun.”
5. “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by W.B. Yeats
   “I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, and a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made.”

FAQ’s

What themes do poems on nature explore?

Poems on nature explore themes like beauty, tranquility, change, seasons, human connection with nature, and the impact of the natural world on emotions and thoughts.

Why are nature poems important?

Nature poems are important because they help readers appreciate the natural world, evoke emotional responses, and inspire environmental awareness and a sense of peace and connection.

3. How do poets convey nature’s beauty?

Poets use vivid imagery, sensory details, metaphors, and personification to convey nature’s beauty, making readers feel as if they are experiencing the natural world firsthand.

4. Can nature poems improve mental health?

Yes, nature poems can improve mental health by providing a sense of calm, reducing stress, and fostering a deeper connection to the natural world, which promotes well-being.

5. How are seasons depicted in nature poems?

Seasons in nature poems are depicted through descriptions of weather, landscapes, flora, and fauna, reflecting the cycles of life, growth, decay, and renewal.

6. What literary devices are commonly used in nature poems?

Common literary devices in nature poems include imagery, metaphor, simile, personification, and alliteration, which enhance the depiction of natural scenes and emotions.

7. How do nature poems connect humans to the environment?

Nature poems connect humans to the environment by illustrating the interdependence between people and nature, highlighting the beauty and necessity of preserving the natural world.

8. Are nature poems relevant in urban settings?

Yes, nature poems are relevant in urban settings as they remind city dwellers of the natural beauty that exists beyond the concrete and inspire them to seek and appreciate green spaces.

9. Can children benefit from reading nature poems?

Yes, children benefit from reading nature poems as they foster a love for the environment, enhance vocabulary, and develop observational and descriptive skills.

10. How do nature poems inspire environmental conservation?

Nature poems inspire environmental conservation by raising awareness of nature’s beauty and fragility, encouraging readers to appreciate and protect the natural world for future generations.