Nature has always inspired poets. The rustling leaves, the gentle breeze, the vastness of the sky – these elements evoke powerful emotions that translate beautifully into verse. This collection explores the intersection of love poems and nature, showcasing how poets have used the natural world to express the complexities and beauty of love. From indigenous prayers to modern reflections, these poems offer a unique perspective on the interconnectedness of all things.
Contents
Prayers and Praises to the Earth
Many cultures have rich traditions of honoring nature through poetry and prayer. These expressions of gratitude often intertwine with themes of love and connection.
The Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address provides a beautiful example. Gary Snyder’s adaptation offers a concise yet powerful expression of gratitude for the elements:
Prayer for the Great Family (after a Mohawk prayer)
Gratitude to Mother Earth, sailing through night and day—and to her soil: rich, rare and sweet.
Gratitude to Plants, the sun-facing, light-changing leaf and fine root-hairs; standing still through wind and rain; their dance is in the flowering spiral grain.
Gratitude to Air, bearing the soaring Swift and silent Owl at dawn. Breath of our song clear spirit breeze.
Gratitude to Wild Beings, our brothers, teaching secrets, freedoms, and ways; who share with us their milk; self-complete, brave and aware.
Gratitude to Water: clouds, lakes, rivers, glaciers; holding or releasing; streaming through all our bodies salty seas.
Gratitude to the Sun: blinding pulsing light through trunks of trees, through mists, warming caves where bears and snakes sleep— he who wakes us.
Gratitude to the Great Sky who holds billions of stars— and goes yet beyond that—beyond all powers, and thoughts and yet is within us—Grandfather Space. The Mind is his Wife.
This prayer acknowledges the interconnectedness of all living things and the earth that sustains them, fostering a sense of reverence and love for the natural world.
Nature as a Metaphor for Love
Poets often use nature as a metaphor for love, drawing parallels between the natural world and the complexities of human relationships.
John O’Donohue’s “In Praise of the Earth” beautifully illustrates this connection. He speaks of the earth’s patience, resilience, and kindness, mirroring the qualities we seek in love:
In Praise of the Earth
(Excerpt)
Let us thank the Earth
That offers ground for home
And holds our feet firm
To walk in space open
To infinite galaxies.
Joy Harjo’s “Praise the Rain” celebrates the cyclical nature of life and love, using vivid imagery from nature to express a sense of awe and acceptance:
Praise the Rain
(Excerpt)
Praise the rain; it brings more rain.
Praise the rain; it brings more rain.
Finding Love in Simplicity
Nature also reminds us that love can be found in the simplest of things. Poems like Wendell Berry’s “What We Need Is Here” and Lucille Clifton’s “Flowers” emphasize the beauty of presence and acceptance:
What We Need Is Here
(Excerpt)
What we need is here.
Flowers
(Excerpt)
here we are
flourishing for the field
and the name of the place
is Love
These poems encourage us to appreciate the present moment and find love in the everyday wonders of the natural world.
A Closing Blessing
Alfred V. Fedak’s “Rejoice in life” offers a parting blessing that encapsulates the themes of love, interconnectedness, and reverence for the earth:
Rejoice in life
(Excerpt)
Walk softly upon the earth.
May its beauty forever surround you,
its wonders forever astound you.
This poem serves as a reminder to cherish the earth and all its creations, recognizing the profound connection between nature and love.
This collection of love poems in nature offers a glimpse into the diverse ways poets have used the natural world to express the complexities and beauty of love. From prayers of gratitude to metaphors of growth and resilience, these poems inspire us to appreciate the interconnectedness of all things and find love in the world around us.