The Nature Poet, Sara Teasdale
A lyrical poet capable of great depth with such little word usage, Sara Teasdale’s work is a must read for lovers of poetry. As a writer who suffered much of her childhood with health complications until the age of 10, Teasdale knew trials and challenges. As a woman who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1918, she was recognized for her clarity and great depth. Sara Teasdale was a poet who used language in the simplest form yet never failed to communicate a message within her works. With clear purpose, comparison to nature, and her simplicity shown in her works- Teasdale should be read at least once by every true lover of poetry.
With poetry, most can agree that it often makes connections or comparisons to other aspects of life. Meaning when we read a poem there is almost always a connection drawn to some other event whether that be love, heartbreak, living, or even flying.With Teasdale’s work she makes connections to nothing more natural than nature itself. In her piece, “Nights Without Sleep”, she addresses that in order for her to have written the works she has- sleepless nights were necessary.
Her language used to compare the days following the sleepless nights is strong and uses the element of fire to symbolize the feeling. The ‘smoldering fire’ used to describe the frustration, anger, and negativity that follows those nights Teasdale was experiencing. She uses wind as an element to express the endless cries of her nerves that would linger. With the symbolism of the elements she uses, it speaks those volumes for her.
Sara Teasdale is a poet who knows how to utilize every aspect of a word rather than use a word that does not speak to its greatest potential. She references nature’s elements in ways that we as an audience most likely are familiar with.
As readers, we most likely know the fragrance she is referring to after a rain storm. Teasdale is using this idea in a different way than most poets, she is using it to describe the small things that linger ‘Afterwards’ such as the scent of rain after the storm. Such as the droplets she mentions that cling to the cobwebs afterwards. Simple remaining evidence that is left after the event.
She again is brilliantly using nature’s ways to speak volumes on what the main idea is within her writing. In a way, she is reminding us of where we come from, to what we are connected to, nature.
In her piece “There Will Come Soft Rains”, she clarifies at the beginning that it takes place during time of war. With “(War Time)” added, readers know the setting in which they should have their mind at when reading this poem in order to understand it clearly.
Readers associate small beauties of nature with happiness and a time of euphoria. By simply listing these natural events that happen in the world, the purpose of the poem becomes clear, she is writing in terms of hope for the future.
Teasdale’s language has the magic of forming images in the reader’s mind of these events occurring. These images bring nostalgia for some, and an imagination to others.
Teasdale not only conquers the magic of mental imagery but uses multiple examples of these peaceful events to add variety and increase the chances of connecting with her audience.
The magic within her poetry is that one may not connect with one poem but could see themselves vividly in another. The beauty of poetry is that the poets do not need to stick with one so called genre. Sara Teadale’s work ranges from poems of hope to poems of love to poems of how being lonely is the only freedom one can obtain.
In her beautiful simplistic poem, Morning Song, we see the more lonesome side of Teasdale. Again seen is the connection with nature which in this poem’s case is the moon.
The comparison between her and the moon is made clear. This poem goes from an observation of morning to a deeper meaning connecting loneliness as one with nature and freedom within only a few lines.
Sara Teasdale was a poet of great language, who mastered simplistic depthful messages, and who used nature to deliver her messages through her poems even more clearly. Her works are sometimes overlooked and drowned out since she is an older poet in the crowd of thousands that have come after her but that does not belittle her talent. When reading poetry, people see ideas from new perspectives. This being said, one should always be open to this idea and this should inspire all to read a few poems by the great Teasdale.
