There’s a world of wonder all around us every day. From the biggest clouds in the sky to the tiniest dewdrops, poets have been inspired by nature throughout the ages. In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it’s easy to take our surroundings for granted. Here are some poems about nature to encourage us to stop and appreciate the beauty around us.
Quick reminder: Poetry is about self-expression, so please review the poems about nature before sharing them with students to ensure that the authors’ works match the tone of your classroom.
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Our Favorite Poems About Nature
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth
“That floats on high o’er vales and hills …”
Themes: Nature’s beauty, solitude, reflection, memory
Literary devices: Personification, simile, imagery, rhyme
This classic Romantic poem highlights the restorative power of nature and its ability to bring joy even in solitude. The daffodils become a symbol of hope and inspiration, perfect for teaching imagery, the Romantic period, and how nature influences emotional well-being.
Wild Pansy by Lisa Bellamy
“As a seed, I was shot out the back end of a blue jay …”
Themes: Transformation, resilience, the life cycle
Literary devices: Personification, metaphor, humor, free verse
This playful poem uses the voice of a seed to explore survival and growth, blending humor with deeper reflections on life’s unpredictability. With this poem, teachers can discuss perspective, personification, and the creative use of humor in poetry.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
“Whose woods these are I think I know.”
Themes: Duty versus desire, solitude, nature’s allure
Literary devices: Rhyme scheme, repetition, imagery, symbolism
A deceptively simple poem that explores the tension between life’s responsibilities and the lure of peaceful escape. It’s ideal for teaching rhyme schemes (the ABAAB pattern), symbolism (the woods as both beauty and temptation), and how mood is created through imagery.
Putting in the Seed by Robert Frost
“You come to fetch me from my work to-night …”
Themes: Fertility, creation, life cycles
Literary devices: Metaphor, enjambment, imagery, personification
This poem uses planting seeds as a metaphor for creativity, growth, and even human reproduction. It’s excellent for discussing symbolism, metaphorical language, and how Frost often connects human experiences with nature’s rhythms.
What I Would Like To Grow in My Garden by Katherine Riegel
“Peonies, heavy and pink as ’80s bridesmaid dresses …”
Themes: Desire, imagination, imperfection
Literary devices: Simile, imagery, free verse, humor
Through whimsical and unusual comparisons, this poem reflects on longing for beauty, wildness, and freedom. Teachers can use it to explore figurative language, voice, and the balance between humor and deeper emotional undercurrents in poetry.
My November Guest by Robert Frost
“My Sorrow, when she’s here with me …”
Themes: Grief, acceptance, beauty in melancholy
Literary devices: Personification, mood, imagery, symbolism
Frost personifies sorrow, turning it into a guest who helps the speaker appreciate the stark beauty of November. This poem is ideal for discussing mood, the personification of abstract emotions, and how poets find beauty in bleakness.
Summer Haibun by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
“To everything, there is a season of parrots …”
Themes: Family, nature, memory
Literary devices: Haibun form (prose + haiku), imagery, juxtaposition
A blend of prose and haiku, this poem reflects on family, summer, and fleeting moments of connection. It’s perfect for teaching poetic forms (especially haibun), cultural references, and how poets blend narrative and lyrical styles.
The Tyger by William Blake
“Tyger! Tyger! burning bright …”
Themes: Creation, good versus evil, the sublime
Literary devices: Alliteration, repetition, symbolism, rhetorical questions
Blake explores the duality of beauty and danger in creation, questioning the nature of a creator who can make something both fierce and magnificent. Teachers can use this to discuss Romanticism, symbolism, and how poets use questions to engage readers in philosophical debate.
Hermitage by Joseph Fasano
“It’s true there were times when it was too much …”
Themes: Solitude, healing, self-reflection
Literary devices: Imagery, metaphor, free verse, symbolism
This reflective poem explores the search for peace and the tension between isolation and connection. It can be used to discuss themes of healing, the role of nature in self-discovery, and how tone and imagery create an intimate, introspective mood.
A Bird Came Down the Walk by Emily Dickinson
“He did not know I saw …”
Themes: Nature’s innocence, observation, human interference
Literary devices: Personification, imagery, slant rhyme, metaphor
Dickinson captures a moment of quiet observation, highlighting the delicate balance between nature and human presence. Teachers can use this poem to explore personification, the power of subtle imagery, and the impact of human curiosity on the natural world.
Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost
“Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.”
Themes: Impermanence, change, the passage of time
Literary devices: Symbolism, alliteration, rhyme, metaphor
A concise meditation on the fleeting nature of beauty and innocence, this poem is perfect for introducing symbolism (the “gold” representing purity and youth) and discussing universal themes of change and loss.
The Fire by Katie Ford
“When a human is asked about a particular fire,
she comes close:
then it is too hot …”
Themes: Trauma, memory, human resilience
Literary devices: Metaphor, enjambment, imagery, symbolism
Ford uses the metaphor of fire to explore emotional pain and the lingering effects of trauma. This poem is ideal for analyzing metaphorical language, emotional tone, and how poets address difficult topics with sensitivity and depth.
The Seed-Shop by Muriel Stuart
“Here in a quiet and dusty room they lie,
Faded as crumbled stone and shifting sand …”
Themes: Potential, growth, the life cycle
Literary devices: Imagery, personification, symbolism, alliteration
This poem uses the image of dormant seeds to reflect on hidden potential and the quiet power of life waiting to emerge. It’s excellent for exploring symbolism, imagery, and how nature is often used as a metaphor for human experiences.
To the Cardinal, Attacking His Reflection in the Window by Leah Naomi Green
“‘It is your very self’ I tell him.”
Themes: Self-perception, conflict, identity
Literary devices: Allegory, personification, imagery, symbolism
This poem reflects on self-recognition and the struggle between one’s inner and outer selves, using the bird’s attack on its reflection as a metaphor for human conflict. Teachers can use it to discuss allegory, symbolism, and themes of identity and self-awareness.
A Light Exists in Spring by Emily Dickinson
“Not present on the Year
At any other period …”
Themes: Ephemeral beauty, nature’s influence, perception
Literary devices: Imagery, metaphor, slant rhyme, personification
Dickinson captures the fleeting, almost mystical quality of spring light, exploring how certain moments in nature can feel profound yet temporary. This poem is great for teaching mood, imagery, and how nature shapes human emotion.
Hummingbird by Robin Becker
“I love the whir of the creature come …”
Themes: Transience, beauty, observation
Literary devices: Alliteration, imagery, metaphor, free verse
Becker highlights the delicate, fleeting presence of a hummingbird, symbolizing both nature’s fragility and resilience. Teachers can use this poem to explore the use of sound in poetry, symbolism, and how brief moments can hold deep meaning.
The Fish by Elizabeth Bishop
“I caught a tremendous fish
and held him beside the boat …”
Themes: Respect for nature, survival, transformation
Literary devices: Imagery, simile, symbolism, narrative structure
Through detailed description and reflection, Bishop’s speaker experiences a moment of empathy and respect for the fish’s survival. This poem is perfect for analyzing imagery, narrative voice, and how close observation leads to transformation in perspective.
Mercy Beach by Kamilah Aisha Moon
“Stony trails of jagged beauty rise
like stretch marks streaking sand-hips.”
Themes: Resilience, healing, personal growth
Literary devices: Metaphor, imagery, free verse, symbolism
Moon uses the beach as a metaphor for emotional resilience and the complexity of healing. Teachers can discuss metaphorical landscapes, tone, and how poets use nature to mirror emotional journeys through this poem.
It’s September by Edgar A. Guest
“It’s September, and the orchards are afire with red and gold …”
Themes: Change of seasons, nostalgia, family
Literary devices: Imagery, personification, rhyme, symbolism
This warm and nostalgic poem celebrates the beauty of autumn and the comforting routines that come with it. It’s great for teaching seasonal imagery, mood, and the use of personification to bring nature to life.
A Sunset by Ari Banias
“I watch a woman take a photo
of a flowering tree with her phone.”
Themes: Observation, fleeting beauty, human connection
Literary devices: Imagery, free verse, symbolism, subtle metaphor
Banias reflects on the simple, often unnoticed moments that hold quiet significance. This poem is ideal for discussing how small details can reveal deeper meaning and how modern life intersects with nature.
Our Blessings by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
“Sitting to-day in the sunshine
That touched me with fingers of love …”
Themes: Gratitude, mindfulness, the beauty of everyday life
Literary devices: Personification, metaphor, rhyme, repetition
This uplifting poem encourages appreciating life’s simple joys and counting one’s blessings. Teachers can use it to discuss gratitude as a theme and how poets use repetition and tone to inspire reflection.
Nature Aria by Yi Lei translated by Tracy K. Smith and Changtai Bi
“Autumn wind chases in, from all directions …”
Themes: Nature’s power, inner transformation, freedom
Literary devices: Imagery, metaphor, free verse, personification
A sweeping reflection on nature’s force and its impact on the human spirit, this poem blends emotion and natural imagery. It’s excellent for teaching how translation impacts poetry, the use of vivid imagery, and exploring themes of personal liberation.
Sea Fever by John Masefield
“I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky …”
Themes: Freedom, wanderlust, nature
Literary devices: Alliteration, personification, rhythm, repetition
Masefield’s iconic poem expresses a longing for the sea and the adventurous spirit it represents. Its strong, rhythmic flow mimics the ocean’s movement, making it perfect for teaching sound devices, rhythm, and the Romantic portrayal of nature.
The Gray Heron by Galway Kinnell
“It held its head still …”
Themes: Patience, nature’s wisdom, reflection
Literary devices: Imagery, symbolism, free verse, metaphor
Through the focused observation of a heron, Kinnell reflects on stillness and awareness. This poem works well for discussing symbolism, how nature is used as a mirror for human emotion, and exploring quiet, meditative tones in poetry.
The Brook by Alfred Tennyson
“I come from haunts of coot and hern …”
Themes: Nature’s constancy, life’s transience, the passage of time
Literary devices: Personification, repetition, rhyme, alliteration
Tennyson uses the brook as a metaphor for life’s continuous flow, contrasting nature’s permanence with human mortality. It’s a great poem for teaching extended metaphor, rhythm, and how poets use nature to reflect on philosophical themes.
Marriage by Nicole Callihan
“& of the lattermath I can only say
that with the rain the cattails grew so high …”
Themes: Love, change, the passage of time
Literary devices: Symbolism, imagery, free verse, metaphor
This reflective poem uses natural imagery to mirror the complexities of marriage, growth, and life’s inevitable shifts. Teachers can use it to explore modern poetic form, metaphorical language, and the nuanced portrayal of relationships.
Music by Bessie Rayner Parkes
“Sweet melody amidst the moving spheres …”
Themes: Harmony, transcendence, the beauty of sound
Literary devices: Alliteration, metaphor, personification, symbolism
Parkes draws a connection between music and the universe, highlighting how melody can transcend the physical world. This poem is ideal for teaching metaphor, the Romantic fascination with harmony, and the relationship between art and nature.
There Is Another Sky by Emily Dickinson
“Ever serene and fair …”
Themes: Hope, inner peace, the permanence of nature
Literary devices: Metaphor, symbolism, imagery, contrast
Dickinson offers the idea of an eternal, peaceful space—whether in nature or the mind—that remains untouched by life’s chaos. It’s excellent for exploring metaphorical language, tone, and how poets convey abstract ideas through natural imagery.
Merry Autumn by Paul Laurence Dunbar
“It’s all a farce—these tales they tell
About the breezes sighing …”
Themes: Optimism, seasonal change, celebration
Literary devices: Irony, imagery, personification, rhyme
Dunbar playfully challenges gloomy views of autumn, instead presenting it as a season of joy and abundance. Teachers can use this poem to discuss tone, irony, and how perspective shapes interpretations of nature.
The Glory of the Garden by Rudyard Kipling
“Our England is a garden that is full of stately views …”
Themes: Hard work, community, national pride
Literary devices: Metaphor, personification, rhyme, symbolism
Kipling uses the garden as a metaphor for England, emphasizing the importance of dedication and labor in creating beauty. This poem is great for teaching extended metaphor, national identity in literature, and the value of hard work and cooperation.
No Songs in Winter by Thomas Bailey Aldrich
“The sky is gray as gray may be …”
Themes: Silence, seasonal stillness, reflection
Literary devices: Imagery, repetition, personification, mood
Aldrich captures the quiet, somber mood of winter, using stark imagery to highlight nature’s dormancy. This poem can be used to discuss mood creation, seasonal symbolism, and how poets convey stillness and quiet through language.
Shook Foil by Kwame Dawes
“The whole earth is filled with the love of God.”
Themes: Spirituality, nature’s beauty, divine presence
Literary devices: Allusion, imagery, metaphor, alliteration
Inspired by Gerard Manley Hopkins’ “God’s Grandeur,” Dawes reflects on the divine energy within nature. This poem is ideal for exploring allusion, religious themes in poetry, and how modern poets engage with classic works.
February Twilight by Sara Teasdale
“I stood beside a hill, smooth with new-laid snow …”
Themes: Nature’s serenity, solitude, reflection
Literary devices: Imagery, personification, mood, symbolism
Teasdale’s delicate descriptions of a winter landscape evoke peace and introspection. It’s great for teaching imagery, mood, and how seasonal settings can reflect emotional states in poetry.
Winter Morning Poem by Ogden Nash
“Winter is the king of showmen …”
Themes: Playfulness, nature’s beauty, humor
Literary devices: Personification, rhyme, imagery, humor
Nash brings winter to life as a theatrical showman, infusing the season with personality and charm. Teachers can use this to discuss personification, playful tone in poetry, and how humor can make descriptions more engaging.
How the Milky Way Was Made by Natalie Diaz
“My river was once unseparated. Was Colorado. Red- fast flood.”
Themes: Indigenous identity, history, loss, nature
Literary devices: Metaphor, symbolism, repetition, free verse
Diaz blends personal and cultural history with natural imagery, reflecting on displacement and the power of storytelling. This poem is excellent for discussing Indigenous perspectives, the use of natural symbols in cultural narratives, and the blending of myth and history.
Birches by Robert Frost
“When I see birches bend to left and right …”
Themes: Escape, innocence, nature as a refuge
Literary devices: Imagery, metaphor, symbolism, narrative
Frost reflects on the tension between harsh reality and the desire for escape, using the image of birch trees bent by a boy’s playful climbing. Teachers can use this to discuss metaphor, symbolism (birches as a symbol of youth and freedom), and the balance between fantasy and reality.
Peace by Bessie Rayner Parkes
“The steadfast coursing of the stars,
The waves that ripple to the shore …”
Themes: Tranquility, nature’s constancy, inner calm
Literary devices: Imagery, metaphor, personification, repetition
Parkes finds peace in the predictable rhythms of nature, suggesting that harmony can be found in life’s simple, continuous motions. It’s useful for teaching how nature is used as a symbol for emotional balance and exploring peaceful, meditative tones in poetry.
mulberry fields by Lucille Clifton
“they thought the field was wasting …”
Themes: History, memory, survival, African American heritage
Literary devices: Symbolism, free verse, repetition, historical allusion
Clifton reflects on the legacy of slavery, using the mulberry field as a symbol of both suffering and endurance. This poem is ideal for discussions on historical context in poetry, symbolism, and how poets use minimalism to convey deep emotional impact.
The Way Through the Woods by Rudyard Kipling
“They shut the road through the woods
Seventy years ago.”
Themes: Memory, nature’s reclamation, mystery
Literary devices: Imagery, personification, symbolism, rhyme
Kipling explores the idea of nature reclaiming human spaces, creating an atmosphere of mystery and reflection on time’s passage. Teachers can use this to discuss symbolism (the hidden road as forgotten history) and how nature is portrayed as both powerful and enigmatic.
The Eagle by Alfred Tennyson
“He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands …”
Themes: Power, isolation, nature’s majesty
Literary devices: Alliteration, personification, imagery, rhyme
Tennyson uses concise, vivid imagery to portray the eagle as a symbol of strength and solitude. This short but impactful poem is excellent for teaching concise language use, powerful imagery, and the effective use of alliteration and rhyme.
300 Goats by Naomi Shihab Nye
“Will they huddle together, warm bodies pressing?”
Themes: Compassion, connection to nature, vulnerability
Literary devices: Imagery, rhetorical questions, free verse, personification
Nye uses the image of goats bracing for a storm as a meditation on empathy and community. Teachers can use this poem to discuss emotional imagery, how questions invite reflection, and the broader connection between humans and animals.
To Autumn by John Keats
“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness …”
Themes: Transience, nature’s bounty, time and change
Literary devices: Personification, imagery, alliteration, symbolism
Keats’ ode praises the fullness of autumn while subtly acknowledging the inevitable passage of time. This poem is perfect for teaching the use of sensory imagery, personification of nature, and how Romantic poets viewed the cycles of life and death.
A Day of Sunshine by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“O gift of God! O perfect day:
Whereon shall no man work, but play …”
Themes: Joy, nature’s beauty, gratitude
Literary devices: Apostrophe, imagery, alliteration, rhyme
Longfellow celebrates the rare gift of a perfect day, encouraging appreciation of life’s simple pleasures. Teachers can use this poem to explore apostrophe (direct address to an abstract idea), the creation of joyful mood through imagery, and nature as a source of spiritual fulfillment.
The Praying Tree by Melinda Palacio
“Ten years of driving the same highway, past the same tree, the picture is at last complete.”
Themes: Reflection, memory, connection to place
Literary devices: Symbolism, imagery, free verse, narrative voice
Palacio uses the image of a tree to explore themes of patience, personal growth, and spiritual reflection. This poem is ideal for discussing symbolism, how landscapes can hold personal meaning, and the interplay between observation and self-discovery.
A Minor Bird by Robert Frost
“I have wished a bird would fly away,
And not sing by my house all day …”
Themes: Nature versus human preference, tolerance, self-awareness
Literary devices: Irony, rhyme, personification, metaphor
Frost reflects on the human tendency to wish away nature’s minor annoyances, only to realize the deeper beauty in them. This short, accessible poem is perfect for discussing irony, self-reflection, and the contrast between human control and natural freedom.
The Lake Isle of Innisfree by William Butler Yeats
“I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree …”
Themes: Solitude, nature as sanctuary, longing for peace
Literary devices: Imagery, repetition, symbolism, alliteration
Yeats creates a dreamlike vision of escape to a peaceful, natural retreat. This poem can be used to discuss symbolism (Innisfree as an inner sanctuary), how repetition emphasizes longing, and how imagery builds an idealized version of nature.
Spring by Edna St. Vincent Millay
“To what purpose, April, do you return again?”
Themes: Disillusionment, mortality, nature’s indifference
Literary devices: Apostrophe, personification, irony, imagery
Millay questions the automatic optimism often associated with spring, highlighting nature’s indifference to human suffering. This poem is great for discussing how tone shapes meaning, personification of nature, and the contrast between traditional seasonal symbolism and the poet’s darker view.
In the Clearing by Patricia Hooper
“After last night’s rain the woods
smell sensual—a mixture of leaves and musk.”
Themes: Renewal, observation, nature’s resilience
Literary devices: Imagery, metaphor, personification, free verse
Hooper focuses on a simple post-rain scene to highlight nature’s quiet strength and cycles of renewal. Teachers can use this poem to explore detailed natural imagery, the theme of resilience, and how poets capture small yet profound moments.
Pray to What Earth by Henry David Thoreau
“Pray to what earth does this sweet cold belong …”
Themes: Spirituality, nature’s wisdom, environmental awareness
Literary devices: Rhetorical questions, metaphor, personification, transcendentalism
Thoreau explores the spiritual connection between humans and nature, questioning how we engage with the earth’s natural gifts. It’s ideal for teaching transcendentalist ideas, the use of rhetorical questions to provoke thought, and the poet’s deep respect for nature.
Desert Places by Robert Frost
“Snow falling and night falling fast, oh, fast …”
Themes: Isolation, inner emptiness, existential reflection
Literary devices: Imagery, repetition, symbolism, rhyme
Frost uses a bleak winter landscape as a metaphor for personal loneliness and emotional desolation. Teachers can use this poem to discuss the relationship between external and internal landscapes, the theme of isolation, and how simple imagery can evoke complex emotions.
A Winter Blue Jay by Sara Teasdale
“Crisply the bright snow whispered,
Crunching beneath our feet …”
Themes: Nature’s resilience, solitude, observation
Literary devices: Imagery, personification, symbolism, alliteration
Teasdale captures the stark beauty of winter and the blue jay’s role as a symbol of strength amid harsh conditions. This poem is ideal for exploring how poets use vivid sensory imagery, personification, and symbolism to highlight nature’s contrasts between fragility and resilience.
A Narrow Fellow in the Grass by Emily Dickinson
“A narrow fellow in the grass
Occasionally rides;
You may have met him, —did you not …”
Themes: Nature’s mystery, fear, curiosity
Literary devices: Personification, metaphor, slant rhyme, imagery
Dickinson presents a close, almost eerie observation of a snake, blending fascination with fear. This poem is great for teaching the use of metaphor and personification, as well as exploring themes of the natural world’s unpredictability and the human instinctual response to it.
Vision by Jessie B. Rittenhouse
“I came to the mountains for beauty …”
Themes: Inner peace, transformation, perspective
Literary devices: Imagery, metaphor, symbolism, reflection
Rittenhouse explores the journey from seeking external beauty to discovering inner truth and tranquility. Teachers can use this poem to discuss how nature acts as a catalyst for self-reflection, the role of perspective, and how poets use physical journeys as metaphors for internal growth.
The World by Jennifer Chang
“One winter I lived north, alone …”
Themes: Isolation, discovery, transformation
Literary devices: Imagery, metaphor, free verse, symbolism
Chang’s reflective poem focuses on solitude and the profound realizations that can arise from it, using winter as both a literal and metaphorical setting. It’s excellent for exploring mood, how place shapes emotional experience, and the interplay between isolation and self-discovery.
Who Has Seen the Wind? by Christina Rossetti
“Neither I nor you …”
Themes: Nature’s mystery, unseen forces, faith
Literary devices: Rhyme, personification, repetition, metaphor
Rossetti uses simple language to highlight the presence of invisible natural forces, drawing a parallel to spiritual belief. This accessible poem is ideal for younger students and for teaching rhyme schemes, personification, and how poets can explore abstract concepts through nature.
At the Window by D.H. Lawrence
“The pine-trees bend to listen to the autumn wind as it mutters …”
Themes: Change, nature’s voice, contemplation
Literary devices: Personification, imagery, free verse, symbolism
Lawrence gives nature a voice, turning the autumn wind into a symbol of change and introspection. This poem is great for teaching personification, how mood is shaped by natural elements, and the use of nature as a reflection of human thought and emotion.
Allie by Robert Graves
“Allie, call the birds in, the birds from the sky.”
Themes: Innocence, connection to nature, protection
Literary devices: Imagery, repetition, symbolism, lyrical style
Graves portrays a moment of tenderness and concern for nature, using the act of calling birds as a symbol of care and connection. Teachers can use this poem to explore themes of innocence, the importance of nurturing, and how simplicity in language can carry emotional depth.
The Humblebee by Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Burly dozing humblebee!
Where thou art is clime for me.”
Themes: Harmony with nature, simplicity, contentment
Literary devices: Apostrophe, personification, rhyme, alliteration
Emerson praises the humble bumblebee as a symbol of simplicity and the joy found in nature’s smallest details. This poem is excellent for discussing transcendentalist ideas, the poet’s admiration for nature, and how structure (rhyme and rhythm) can enhance a poem’s tone.
Sonnet by Wallace Stevens
“Lo, even as I passed beside the booth …”
Themes: Perception, art versus reality, imagination
Literary devices: Sonnet form, metaphor, symbolism, imagery
Stevens uses the traditional sonnet form to reflect on the relationship between art, reality, and human perception. This poem is great for advanced students studying poetic forms, how poets manipulate structure for thematic purposes, and the blending of the abstract with the concrete.
Memory by Thomas Bailey Aldrich
“My mind lets go a thousand things, like dates of wars and deaths of kings …”
Themes: Memory, impermanence, emotional attachment
Literary devices: Repetition, metaphor, contrast, rhyme
Aldrich reflects on how the mind forgets facts and historical events but clings to deeply personal moments. This poem is ideal for exploring the theme of selective memory, metaphorical language, and how contrast is used to highlight emotional depth.
To make a prairie by Emily Dickinson
“To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,
One clover, and a bee.”
Themes: Imagination, simplicity, creation
Literary devices: Metaphor, symbolism, minimalism, repetition
In this brief, profound poem, Dickinson emphasizes the power of imagination in creating beauty and meaning. It’s great for discussing minimalism in poetry, symbolism (the clover and bee as elements of creation), and how simplicity can convey deep philosophical ideas.
The Arid Land by Lynn Riggs
“There will be willows plunging
Their bloodless roots in the air …”
Themes: Environmental decay, survival, nature’s resilience
Literary devices: Imagery, personification, symbolism, free verse
Riggs paints a stark picture of a struggling landscape, using vivid imagery to reflect themes of hardship and the resilience of nature. This poem is perfect for discussing environmental themes in literature, symbolic representations of survival, and the use of descriptive imagery.
maggie and milly and molly and may by e.e. cummings
“went down to the beach (to play one day) …”
Themes: Self-discovery, nature as reflection, innocence
Literary devices: Enjambment, symbolism, free verse, playful tone
Cummings uses the beach as a metaphor for life’s journey, with each character finding a different part of themselves through nature. Teachers can use this poem to explore how structure affects meaning, Cummings’ use of playful language, and the theme of self-exploration.
[I wandered lonely as a Cloud] by William Wordsworth
“That floats on high o’er Vales and Hills …”
Themes: Solitude, nature’s beauty, reflection
Literary devices: Simile, personification, imagery, rhyme
Wordsworth’s iconic Romantic poem celebrates the restorative power of nature, particularly through the image of daffodils that linger in memory. It’s ideal for teaching imagery, personification of nature, and how Romantic poets emphasized emotional connection to the natural world.
[The cry of the cicada] by Matsuo Bashō
“The cry of the cicada
Gives us no sign
That presently it will die.”
Themes: Impermanence, nature’s cycle, fleeting life
Literary devices: Haiku form, irony, symbolism, simplicity
This classic haiku captures the essence of mono no aware—the Japanese concept of transience—using the cicada’s oblivious song as a symbol of life’s fragility. It’s perfect for introducing haiku structure, exploring cultural themes, and discussing the beauty in impermanence.
Remember by Joy Harjo
“Remember the sky that you were born under,
know each of the star’s stories.”
Themes: Ancestry, connection to nature, collective memory
Literary devices: Repetition, symbolism, free verse, direct address
Harjo’s poem is a call to remember one’s roots, cultural history, and connection to the natural world. It’s excellent for discussing Indigenous perspectives in poetry, the use of repetition for emphasis, and how personal identity can be tied to place and tradition.
Trees by Joyce Kilmer
“I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.”
Themes: Nature’s beauty, spirituality, humility
Literary devices: Personification, rhyme, imagery, symbolism
Kilmer’s poem celebrates the tree as a symbol of divine creation and natural beauty, placing nature above human-made art. Teachers can use this to discuss personification, symbolism, and how simplicity in language can still convey reverence and depth.
Song of Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Mine are the night and morning …”
Themes: Transcendence, nature’s power, unity
Literary devices: Apostrophe, personification, metaphor, transcendentalism
Emerson gives voice to nature itself, emphasizing its omnipresence and the interconnectedness of all life. This poem is perfect for exploring transcendentalist ideas, the use of personification to elevate nature’s voice, and how nature is positioned as a force beyond human control.
Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
“In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure dome decree …”
Themes: Imagination, power, the sublime
Literary devices: Imagery, symbolism, alliteration
Coleridge’s fragmentary dream poem blends history and fantasy, creating vivid landscapes that explore the tension between human ambition and nature’s overwhelming force. This is ideal for studying Romanticism, the sublime in literature, and how imagination shapes poetic landscapes.
My Heart Leaps Up by William Wordsworth
“My heart leaps up when I behold …”
Themes: Joy in nature, continuity, innocence
Literary devices: Personification, symbolism, parallelism
In this brief but powerful reflection, Wordsworth expresses the deep, lifelong connection between nature and the human spirit. The poem is ideal for introducing Romantic ideals, especially the reverence for nature and the theme of “the child is father of the man,” emphasizing the importance of maintaining a sense of wonder into adulthood.
Loveliest of Trees by A.E. Housman
“Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough …”
Themes: Transience of life, appreciation of beauty, the passage of time
Literary devices: Imagery, symbolism, rhyme, personification
Housman reflects on the brevity of life and the urgency to appreciate nature’s fleeting beauty. This poem is perfect for discussing themes of mortality, the symbolism of spring, and how poets use simple language to convey profound reflections on time and existence.
Wasteland: on the California Wildfires by Forrest Gander
“Green spring grass on
the hills had cured
by June and by July …”
Themes: Destruction, environmental crisis, resilience, wildfires
Literary devices: Imagery, free verse, juxtaposition, metaphor
Gander captures the devastation of the California wildfires while highlighting the tension between nature’s beauty and its destructive potential. This poem is ideal for teaching environmental themes in literature, the use of stark imagery to convey loss, and how contemporary poets address climate change.
The Bonfire by Robert Frost
“Oh, let’s go up the hill and scare ourselves …”
Themes: Fear, nature’s power, human curiosity
Literary devices: Narrative structure, imagery, metaphor, personification
In this narrative poem, Frost explores the thrill of fear and the primal connection between humans and fire. It’s perfect for discussing metaphor (fire as both a literal and symbolic force), the creation of suspense, and how poets use storytelling within verse.
Ode to the West Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley
“O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being …”
Themes: Change, revolution, nature’s power, renewal
Literary devices: Apostrophe, personification, terza rima, symbolism
Shelley addresses the West Wind as both a destroyer and preserver, linking nature’s transformative power to social and political revolution. This complex ode is excellent for exploring Romanticism, symbolism (the wind as change), and poetic form, particularly the use of terza rima, a verse form consisting of tercets (units or groups of three lines of verse), usually in iambic pentameter, with an interlaced rhyme scheme.
Gills by Rain Prud’homme-Cranford
“I convince myself I can breathe underwater.”
Themes: Identity, survival, adaptability
Literary devices: Metaphor, imagery, symbolism, free verse
Prud’homme-Cranford uses the act of breathing underwater as a metaphor for resilience and the search for belonging. Teachers can use this poem to explore how metaphor shapes meaning, themes of cultural identity, and the human instinct to adapt in challenging environments.
Sand Paintings by Catharine Savage Brosman
“The grains propose the spectrum of the landscape …”
Themes: Ephemerality, art, nature’s complexity
Literary devices: Imagery, symbolism, metaphor, alliteration
This poem reflects on the delicate balance between permanence and impermanence, using sand paintings as a symbol for both artistic expression and the fleeting nature of existence. It’s ideal for discussing visual imagery, the intersection of art and nature, and the role of metaphor in conveying fragility.
Stars in Alabama by Jessie Redmon Fauset
“Stars hang down so low …”
Themes: Beauty in the ordinary, hope, cultural reflection
Literary devices: Imagery, symbolism, personification, mood
Fauset captures a moment of stillness and wonder, using the stars as a symbol of hope and possibility amid a quiet landscape. Teachers can use this poem to explore cultural context, mood, and how poets use simple images to convey deep emotional resonance.
The Lost Breath of Trees by Colleen J. McElroy
“in the days before urban sprawl this town
remained no more than cow pastures …”
Themes: Environmental loss, memory, urbanization
Literary devices: Imagery, symbolism, free verse, personification
McElroy reflects on the transformation of natural landscapes due to human expansion, mourning the loss of untouched spaces. This poem is great for discussing environmental themes, the use of memory in poetry, and how landscapes can be used as symbols for broader cultural and ecological shifts.
To a Snowflake by Francis Thompson
“What heart could have thought you?”
Themes: Beauty in nature, uniqueness, divine creation
Literary devices: Apostrophe, personification, metaphor, symbolism
Thompson addresses a snowflake as a work of art, pondering the delicate beauty of nature and the idea of divine craftsmanship. Teachers can use this poem to discuss symbolism, personification, and how poets explore the intersection of science, art, and spirituality.
Somewhere Everywhere by Margo Berdeshevsky
“And the fireflies cried.”
Themes: Transience, longing, the fragility of life
Literary devices: Personification, imagery, symbolism, lyricism
Berdeshevsky creates an emotional, dreamlike landscape where nature reflects human feeling, using the image of crying fireflies to symbolize fleeting beauty and loss. This poem is great for discussing lyrical poetry, personification, and how poets create emotional landscapes through natural imagery.
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