Nature - Analysis of the Poem

Synopsis

The poem tells of the weather conditions in Jamaica although it does not have the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. The weather conditions of golden sunny days and wet rainy days are just as good and are almost equivalent to the four seasons.

Meaning of the poem

Lines 1 to 10

The poet tells about his homeland , Jamaica and rejoices the beauty of this island. Jamaica has no seasonal changes. It has a tropical climate which is hot and wet throughout the year. The days of golden sunshine are glorious and magnificent. The are many canefields in Jamaica as sugar is one of the main exports in this country.

Lines 11 to 15

In the ending of the poem, the poet tells us his favourite time – days when the flowers of mango trees and logwood blossom. He uses imagery of sound and smell to illustrate abundant life and activity in the bushes when the ‘sound of bees and the scent of honey’ add to the charm and beauty if Jamaica. He describes the fields filled with lovely yellow buttercups. All this happens when the rains have stopped and the beauty if nature emerges once again.

Themes

Beauty of nature

Appreciation of one own country

Appreciate nature

Moral Values

We should appreciate what we have in our own country

We should not long for what we do not have.

We should appreciate our homeland.

We should appreciate the beauty of nature.

Tone, Mood and Atmosphere

Appreciative and happy

Carefree and light-hearted

Sense of beauty

Point of View

Third person point of view

Language and Style

Simple and easy to understand the language

Clear and descriptive

Simple style with no rhyming scheme

Poetic Devices

Imagery – e.g. ‘gold sun’, ‘lush green fields’, ‘trees struggling’

Alliteration – e.g. ‘sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air’

Symbols – e.g. ‘gold sun’ – symbol of summer, ‘rains’ – symbol of winter

Contrast – e.g. ‘beauty’ or summer is compared with ‘rains’ or winter

Figurative Language  – Simile – ‘rain beats like bullets’

Metaphor – e.g. ‘the buttercups paved the earth with yellow stars’

Personafication – ‘buttercups have paved the earth’ …  buttercups have been personified as having laid tiles


Credit: Zahuren

Exercise