Wednesday 30 October 2024

The Peace of Wild Things - Wendell Berry

 

 

Wendell Berry (B.1934) is a renowned writer, committed farmer and environmental Advocate from the United States.  He has authored over 50 books and won T. S. Eliot prize and the National Humanities Medal.  he is of the opinion that humanity must learn to live in harmony with the earth's natural rhythm.  In the poem, "The Peace of Wild Things", he shares a personal journey of finding solace in nature's embrace.

One day in the night a heavy depression occupied the poet's mind and he lost his sleep.  it was the forethought of grief for the world.  Especially, concerning his life and lives of his children that kept him awake on his bed.  The more he thought about them, the more fear and suffocation filled his mind.  So, he got from his bed up without making others knew about his restlessness and left the house.  He reached the place where the wood drakes used to take rest and the great herons used to feed by the side of the water.  He came into the presence of still water and lay down there on the grass land.  He also felt above him, on the sky, the day-blind stars waiting with their light.  Actually, it was the place, where drakes and herons used to get peace.  Such wild things would never tax their lives with fore-thoughts of grief like human beings.  They knew how to live in their present times without having any anxiety about the future.  So, hopelessness would never destroy their sleep.  However, when the poet spent some time there in the grace of the world, the elegance and charm of nature freed the poet of his despair and distress.  Thus when he found refuge in the soothing presence of wild life, water, and stars, his worries faded away.

Thus, through this poem Berry proves the power of the inter connectedness of humans and nature.  The poet reminds us that the natural world has the power to heal our troubled spirits and calm our minds.  He also says that when we immerse ourselves in tranquility, our worries fade away and our inner peace is restored.


--------Thulasidharan V

 

 

No comments:

Post a Comment