CHAPTER - IV

Poetic Techniques of William Wordsworth,

Robert Frost and Kazuyosi Ikeda

William Wordsworth is one of the most sublime and philosophic poets

of England. Basically, he was a propent and missionary. Poetry was just a means

for fulfilling his prophetic mission and socio-ethical commitments. He was a

great revolutionary in literature and was born to change the poetic climate of his

day. When the whole poetic climate was dominated by the 18th century cult of

reason, he raised his voice against the dry intellectualism of the pseudo-classics

and asserted that "poetry is the most philosophic of all writing : it is soas its

object is truth."1 He stressed on sincerity, profundity and depth of feeling and

passions and redefined poetry as "the spontaneous overflow of powerful

feelings"2 His poetry represents a strong protest against the 18th century

pseudoclassics who made poetry exclusively the vehicle of expressing the

artificial and unnatural life of fashionable lords and ladies dwelling in all pomp?

glamour and luxuries of London city.

"We see for the first time certain qualities that were to become more

and more common in Wordsworth's later poems. The most noticeable

of these qualities in a new tone of tender personal emotion, at its; best

pure and strong, and at its worst dangerously near sentimentality, jt is a

quite different emotion from the sense of social, human sympathy with

the general lot of men which underlies poems like The Idiot Boy, the

Female Vagrant, the Last of The Flock and so on. With this new tone

comes a whole new set of images and references, dealing with flowers,

birds, stars and the smaller, prettier details of nature."3

.

1. Wordsworth William, Preface to the Lyrical Ballad, 1805, Derek Roper, Collins
Publisher: London and Glassgow, 1968, Page-33
2. Ibid
3. Drabble Margaret, "Wordsworth" Evans Brother Ltd/ London, 1968, Page-64
 129
Thus, as a poet, Wordsworth's primary aim and object was to restore

to poetry its naturalness and sincerity, and to enroot it with the mainstream of

life. The 18th century poetry had lost its touch with the grass- roots of life!, It had

fleshy brilliance of expression and diction but it sordidly lacked in solidity of

consent and weighty thought. To give a natural touch, Wordsworth tried to bring

poetry closer to the beauties of nature exhibited in the life of humble humanity

comprising of farmers shepherds, wood-cutters etc. Thus, he attempted to widen

the scope of English poetry which was henceforth confined and limited in its
I

theme. By demonstrating it, Wordsworth forced English poetry to come out of

the narrow groves of town life and made it to embrace the life of nature and
I

humanity in the simplest and most elemental forms. :

The publication of 'Lyrical Ballads' is a landmark in the history of

English literature. It herald a new epoch in the world of letters. While publishing

it, Wordsworth was well aware that the kind of thing he was attempting, was

"materially different"1 from the usual course, practice and poetic tradition of

the day. So, he thought it appropriate that he should add a preface to his;'Lyrical

Ballads' disclosing to the readers what innovation he intended to make in it in

respect of their theme and technique. He thought it necessary because without

a proper briefing and explanation of the context and background of his poems

contained in his new publication, the readers might not understand and

appreciate the very spirit and motive behind them. The 'Preface to the] Lyrical

Ballads' is the very menifesto of Wordsworth's revolutionary poetic creed which

underlines his aims and objects, policies and programmes, priorities and

commitments behind his newventure which he launches as an "experiment".

We are quoting here a few of the opening paragraphs from the Preface to give

1. William Wordsworth, Preface to lyrical Ballad, Page -19

 130
a peep into the mind of the poet and to understand his fundamental purpose,

aim and objective behind the publication of his 'Lyrical Ballads':

"The first volume of these poems has already been submitted to j

general perusal. It was published as an experiment, which l hoped,

might be of some use to ascertain, own far, by fitting to material i

arrangement of selection of real language of men in a state of

vivid sensation, that quality of pleasure maybe imparted, which;

a poet may rationally endeavour to impart.

I had, formed no very inaccurate estimate of the probable;

effect of these poems; I flattered myself that they who should be,

pleased with them would read them with more than common!

pleasure, and on the other hand, I was well aware, that by those!
f

who should dislike them, they would be read with more than;

common dislike....

Several of my friends are anxious for the success of thosei

poems form a belief that if the views with which they were

composed were indeed realised, a class of poetry would bej

produced well adopted to interest mankind permanently......... "1j

Thus, Wordsworth was conscious of the fact that the poems 'so

materially different' from the traditional mode of poetic composition needed a

preface for the clarification of the special motives and objectives witlp which
I

they were particularly launched. Regarding his specific purpose, Wordsworth

i

states:

"The Principal object, then, which I proposed to myself in

these poems was to choose incidents and situations from

1. William Wordsworth, Preface to lyrical Ballad, Page -18-19
 131
common life, and to relate or describe them, throughout, as

far as possible, in a selection of language really used by

men; and at the same time to throw over them a certain

colouring of imagination, whereby ordinary things should be

presented in an unusual way."1

Two things are particularly stressed in its statement:

(i) First, as against the themes of city life of London, Wordsworth's choice is
i

to present the themes of humble rustic life of Cumberland with which he himself

was familiar

(ii) Secondly, Wordswroth wishes to communicate these themes in the

"selection of language really used by men."

Clarifying further, the reasons for this particular choice, he states :

"Low and rustic life was generally chosen, because in that

condition the essential passions of the heart find a better

soil in which they can attain heir maturity, are less under

restrain, and, speak a plainer and more emphatic language;

because in that condition of life our elementary feeling co

exit in a state of greater simplicity, and consequently may

be more accurately contemplated and more forcibly

communicated; because the manners of rural life germinated

from those elementary feelings, and from the necessary

character of rural occupations are more easily

comprehended, and are more durable; and lastly, because in

that condition the passions of men are incorporated with the

beautiful and permanent forms of Nature."2

1. William Wordsworth, Preface to lyrical Ballad, Page -20-21

2. William Wordsworth, Preface to lyrical Ballad, Page -21
 132
After analysing all these statements we come to the conclusion that as a poet,
!
l

Wordsworth's basic aim was to unite poetry with feelings and to explore" the

primary laws of human nature"1 existing in "law and rustic life"2 of Humble

humanity. His stress was on elemental simplicity both in respect of the theme

and poetic technique. He knew that for conveying the themes from simple and
j
unsophisticated rustic life of Nature, he should select a befitting simple language

of ordinary conversation of the common men. His 'Preface to the Lyrical Ballads

is a forceful plea for the use of this simple, natural and colloquial language in

poetic diction. He represents a sharp reaction against "the gaudiness and inane

phraseology"3 of the Augustan poets, therefore, he wants to avoid all

conventions of pedantry in favour of simple, unaffected and impassioned style.

For him poetry is not an intellectual process but product of a heart effusdd with

powerful passions. Helen Darbishire correctly puts:

"Wordsworth' object is truth and life: he wants to be as

close as he can to the thing itself, to get away from poetic

diction, artifice, and ornament, and to use language as

people use it when they talk with one-another, repeating

words and phrases, circling round the point of interest."4

True it is that Wordsworth took for his heroes, tramps, beggars,

!

pedlars and humble rustic because the elementary feelings and the essential

passions of the heart find their purest and simplest expression. He wanted to

express their feelings and sentiments in the ordinary language of conversation

stripped of all refinements became life so close to Nature is never enclothed in

i
art and artifice, refinements, wayward and artificial desires. In his stress on

1. Ibid
2. Ibid
3. Ibid
4. Darbishire Helen, The Poet Wordsworth, Page - 38
 133
simplicity and naturaiess, he goes on to the extent of asserting:

"The language of prose may yet be well adapted to poetry;

and I have previously asserted that a large portion of the

language of every good poem can in no respect differ from

that of good prose. I will go further, I do not doubt that it

may be safely affirmed, that there neither is, nor can be,

any essential difference between the language of prose

and metrical composition."1

This exaggerated statement comes out from Wordsworth's over-enthusiasm to

prove that language of every day conversation of an ordinary, common man

can be a fitting medium of poetic expression, and, it can better ensure natural

tone to poetry. We know that this clause of his utterance establishing oneness

and identically between the language of prose and metrical composition, raised

a storm of protest. Even his closest friend Coleridge, who claimed the 'Preface

to the Lyrical Ballads' 'to be half of his brain child', could not remain silent over

this over-bold and daring statement. Without involving ourselves in the vortex of

controversy relating to this contention, we can safely conclude that Wordsworth

was strongly committed to achieve the ideal of simple and unaffected natural

style for his poetic compositions. He hates undue art and artifice, and overdoing

of decorative devices and figures so he rejects the use of poetic diction :

"There will also be found in these volumes little of what is

usually called Poetic diction; I have taken as much pain

to avoid it as others ordinarily take to persuade it; that I

have done for the reason already alleged to bring my

language near to the language of men."2

We can see these qualities in many of his poetry. Like in the Ode to

1. William Wordsworth, Preface to lyrical Ballad, Page -28

2. William Wordsworth, Preface to lyrical Ballad, Page -26
 134
"Resolution and independence."

"I heard the sky-lark warbling in the sky;

And I bethought me of the playful hare:

Even such a happy Child of earth am;

Even as these blissful creatures do I fare;

Far from the world I walk, and from all care;

But there may come another day to me-

Solitude, pain of heart, distress, and povery."1

"In Resolution and Independence, where Wordsworth adopts a form of

the Spenserian stanza, he introduces a simile which is a fine example

of the modern handling of this classical type. j

i
On the desolate moor he is suddenly aware of a solitary figure;

Beside a pool, bare to the eye of heaven,

I saw a man before me unawares,

The oldest man he seemed who ever wore grey hairs.

Now follows the simile :

As a huge stone is sometimes seen to lie

Couched on the bald top of an eminence;

Wonder to all who do the same espy,

By that means it could thither come, and whence;

So that it seems a thing endued with sense:

Like a sea-beast crawled forth, that on a shelf

Of rock or sand reposeth, there to sun itself;

Such seemed this Man, not all alive nor dead,

Nor all asleep-in his extreme old age:2

1. Selected Poem William Wordsworth, Page -109

2. Selected Poem William Wordsworth, Page -110-111
 135
The image of the stone and sea-beast, not beautiful nor arresting in

themselves, are not developed independently. They act and react vitally upon

each other, and upon the original conception of the still, solitary figure of the old

man in the midst of bare nature. As the stanza moves on we are more and

more conscious of that strange stillness of his which seems to suggest both

death and life. Moreover the simile contributes-no analysis can quite show how

-to the inwardness and deep spiritual meaning of the whole poem. The poet is

left at the end with a sense of the indomitable, the wellnigh insuperable power

of the human spirit revealed to him through his encounter with a derelict old

leech-gather."1

Now here again we find a slight exaggeration. Actually speaking no'poet can

ever reject poetic diction completely because it is the necessary and inevitable

part of poetic creation. Wordsworth too could not have done so. However, he

was opposed to the use of poetic diction in the sense the 18th century poets

had done. Wordsworth's emphasis was on the naturalness and simplicity of

diction, therefore, he was not in favour of undue and superfluous use of figures,

similes, metaphors and such other mechanical devices of art and artifice which

result in gaudiness and artificiality, as he himself puts :

"The reader will find that personifications of abstract

ideas rarely occur in these values, and, I hope, are
utterly rejected as an ordinary device to elevate the
style.... I have proposed myself to imitate, and as for as
is possible to adopt, the very language of men; and
assuredly such personification do not make any natural
or regular part of that language There are, indeed,
figures of speech occasionally prompted by passion, and
I have made use of them as such: but I have
endeavoured utterly to reject them as a mechanical
device of style.... "2

1. Darbishire, Helen, "The Poet Wordsworth, Oxford University, Press/Lgndon,

1950, Page 168-169 ’ .
2. William Wordsworth, Preface to lyrical Ballad, Page -26
 136 I

This statement of Wordsworth is self explanatory which make it ampty clear

that basically he is not opposed to the use of figures and other ornamental

devices of diction. However, he rejects their use as 'a mechanical device of

style' of polishing and pruning the expression. According to him, in a siate of

emotional excitement, men naturally speak metaphorical language to express

i

themselves forcefully. There the use of figures, metaphors and other artistic

ornaments do not appear artificial because they are the effusions of ai heart

overflowing with powerful emotions. So, his emphasis is on the natural use of

ornamental devices in style as against their unnecessary and undue use to

i

polish the expression in the manner of the 18th century poets. The earliest poets

used only such metaphors and images as resulted from powerful emotions,

but, later, on poets used a figurative language which was not the result of genuine

passions. They merely imitated the manners of the earlier poets and did not
i

pay attention to the discipline which they exercise. Thus arose the artificial

language and diction of the Pseudo-classics. Wordswroth wants to a void such

unnatural use of figures, metaphors, personification of abstract ideas and

‘ 0

stereotyped mechanical phraseology employed by the neo-classical poets of

the 18th century. His stress is on natural style comprising of "the very language
of men". The quote Helen Darbishire: !

"What Wordsworth does is to frame his language to the j

j
needs of the poetic world that he creates, and it is world i
of poor and humble folk who feel and suffer in close touch j
with the earth and near the margin of sheer necessity.

Hence the words used... belong to the vocabulary of such ,

i
people. To find a language fit to express the elementary j
feelings of simple people he listened to the words that ’ ,
came from their lips... In doing so he thought to discard
altogether the dress of poetry" poetic diction, elaborate

metres, finished literary styles...."1 I

1.Darbishire, Helen, "The Poet Wordsworth, Page - 54
 137 :
i
Thus, sincerity, simplicity and naturalness are the permanent qualities of

Wordsworth's poetic technique. His style is always subordinate to his s'ubject

matter. It is his subject that dictates his style. Wordsworth's thought is not born

in mind but in the heart overflowing with powerful feelings. In place of intellect;

imaginations, intuition and inspiration are his guides. His peculiar function was

to open out the souls of little and familiar things and to expose their hidden

grandeur and nobility. Matthew Arnold has aptly commented :

"It seems that Nature not only gave him the matter for his

poem, but wrote his poems for him. He has no style. He

has no assured poetic style of his own.... when he seeks

to have a style he falls into ponderosity and

pomposity.. Nature herself seems. I say, to take the pen

out of his hand, and to write for him with her own bare,

sheer, penetrating power. This arises from two causes;

from the profound sincereness with which Wordsworth

feels his subject, and also from the profoundly sincere

and natural character of his subject itself. He can and

will treat such a subject with nothing but the most plain,

first hand, almost austere naturalness."1

Besides this sincerity, simplicity and naturalness, another outstanding quality

of his poetic technique is the lack of homogeneity. A good minor poet,has a

limited act of verbal habits. From one poem to another his style is marked,
i

predictable, and because of his relatively fixed subject matter or mood,

homogeneity of his style governs his creative output. But with larger figures and

myriad mined poetic stalwarts like Wordsworth such homogeneity is difficult to

be found in style is characterised with a distinctive diversity and consummate

1. Arnold Mathew, Essay in Criticism, Page 52-53
 138
variety. Wordsworth's style varies from poem to poem.Variation of theme gives

rises to the variation in style. This diversity of style may also be due to the

diverse influences that play their definite role in shaping his style. Infact, like

most of the good poets, Wordsworth's poetic style is shaped both by the tradition

and individual talent. Like every one else, he also learns to express himself by

imitating a few models. He does not, however, catch merely his technique from

other writer. Form can not be adopted without something of the feelings and
*

attitudes we associate with them, and yet we can only imitate where we

potentially share. Hence a man discovers himself by his choice of models. Like

all other great poets, Wordsworth also responded by rapidly assimilating; them.

For example the meditative poems of later 18th century are written in a highly

grave language free from the shackles of simplejanguage of statement. Ballads

would have encouraged only the verse of artless simplicity but that is not the

case with Wordsworth's reflective poems. In them, there always appears the

example of Milton fostering a style that makes the utmost demands on the

reader.

As regards poetic diction, Wordsworth said that the gaudiness and

inane phraseology of eighteenth century poetic diction were to be rejected in

favour of a selection of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation. Tc

this general intention, which was to adopt the very language of men for the

purposes of poetic composition, he made two qualifications. That very language

was to be the heightened language of men in a state of vivid sensation-that is

to say, language removed from every suggestion of triviality; and furthermore

only a selection of that language was to be adopted. The immediate-object of

this rigorous selection was realistic.

 139
As Herbert puts:

"To pass from these preface of 1800 to 1802, to the preface to the Fr’oems

of 1815 and the Essay Supplementary thereto, is to pass from the realistic
theories of a poet in full vitality, to the pedantic after-thoughts of a poet ^Iready

jealous of his own past. The Preface is mainly devoted to a poet sjlready

jealous of his own past. The Preface is mainly devoted to a defence! of that

schematic division of his poems which he then adopted and which has done
I

more than anything else to hinder a true appreciation of his genius; and to a
i
discussion of Imagination and Fancy, the twin humbugs of romantic

criticism.... Imagination is not a word we can dispense with, but Dryden's

j
word, invention, is more exact, and can be distinguished as either logical or
illogical according as to whether it proceeds from conscious or subconscious

association. Psychology does not need any other terms, nor does criticism.
j

The Essay Supplementary to the Preface of 1815 is interesting for its

reflections on the history of English poetry, but otherwise is little more than a

petulant defence of the poems from the unjust attacks of contemporary

critics.......... For Wordsworth's effective contributions to the theory of poetry

i
i

we need not go further than the Preface of 1802, which indeed shows his

mind in the vigour of its maturity."1

Wordsworth began, as every young poet does, with exercises in the verse

fashionable at that time. His first published work- 'An Evening Walk' and

'Descriptive Sketches', both printed in 1793 - are in the 18th century genre of

loco-descriptive poetry in heroic couplets. 'Guilt and Sorrow', written between

1791 and 1794, agitates the feelings of social protest in two realistic narratives,

faintly connected and told in Spenserian stanzas, a form also modislji at that

time. The poem has fine passages and commands the additional honour of

I.Read Herbert, "Wordsworth, FaberS Faber Ltd./London, 1949, Page 11:3

 140
first suggesting to Coierdige his distinction between fancy and imagination.

The Borders' (1796-97 was his only attempt in the drama. It shows considerable

power, but suffers much like the romantic drama, by being stuffed with

reminiscences from great plays back to the Greeks. By 1798 Wordsworth had
I

stepped into his great decade. His stylistic development shows him triumphantly

in the zone where he displays command over his style and a certain originality
i

in composition. During this phase he is able to control his style and to shape it

variedly in accordance with his theme. In order to have an acquaintance with

the diversity and variety of his style, we shall be focusing our attention to some

of the great poems of this decade. !

"The Prelude, that although occasionally subject to fits of melarjcholy,

Wordsworth never enjoyed any experience more. All that can be said
i

for Descriptive Sketches as a record of the tour is that it mentions and

describes rather more places than are treated in The Prelude, though it

sometimes alters the order in which they were visited. Poetically it is

weak and stilted in style, though it contains some phrases which he rightly

thought worth of being used again in The Prelude -'the torrents shooting

from the clear blue sky', for instance, and the 'black, drizzling crags'.

.Human types, such as the ’Grison gypsey1 and the chamois-hui iicr are
|

introduced as foreground figures in the landscape, to heigthen the

romantic effect, much as the Beggar-woman and her children are

introduced into An Evening Walk."1

During the period 1798 to 1808, Wordsworths' creative genius had

j

reached its apex. During this period he was at the height of his imaginative

power. The poems of this period can be put in to two categories - the poems of

descriptive, narrative and of simple reflective kind; and the poems of deeply

1. Moorman Marry, William Wordsworth, The Early Year 1770-1803, Oxford

University Press/London, 1957, Page 128-29
 141
meditative and philosophic nature. The main habit of Wordsworth’s mind was

ample reflection which resulted in meditative strides. But before we prodeed to

discuss these poems of deep meditative and contemplative mood, an attention

on those of his shorter poems is required which are widely known as lyrics, in

them there is very little overt meditation; some random moment of experience

is picked up, stripped of clogging detail, and, as it might seem, merely

described. These poems do not go on to interpret themselves in discursive

language. Their tone is deceptively casual. They can be read in too shallow a

way. The Wordsworth's contemporaries these lyrics-which include the I'Lucy"

i

poems and good many of the flower pieces and bird watching- often seemed

trivial, pointless, ornamby pamby. There is hardly any abstract thought embodies

is these poems. They simply relate a concrete experience of every day life. As
I

examples, we can dwell on 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud' and' The Solitary

Reaper1. 2 * ;
i

'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud' begins with poet's simple observation

of a sight where the flowers of daffodils have grown in abundance. The lines :

"I wandered loely as a cloud

Thatfloatson high o'ervales and hills."1 j

are intimately Wordsworthian They show his love of solitude and lonely'things

and his pure delight in the natural beauty of the flowers.

Further he says:

"When at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;'

Besides the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breezes."2

1. Wordsworth, "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud", The Poetical Works of William

Wordsowrth, Page 141
2. Ibid
 142
These lines depict the poet's sensuous apprehension of the beautiful sjcenery
i

of nature exhibited in the flowers of the daffodils. And then comes the astonishing
t

metaphor:

"Continues as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never ending line

Along the margin of a bay,"1

It is an odd association - flowers seen in day light with stars at night, or the milky

way with the margin of a lake. It points not so much to the visual scene ak to the

emotional reverberations it sets off, feelings of sublimity and infinitude. But the

poet at once returns to the visual description :

"Ten thousand saw I at a glance

Tossing their head in sprightly dance."2

Here the simplicity of language and diction is worthy. Apparently Wordkworth

s
communicates to us a simple experience of his random wandering. The

sensuous appeal of the beauty of daffodils makes him feel the pure joy that i

radiates through nature:

"A poet could not but began,

In such a jocund company."3

Thus, the nature of the poem is narrative and depictive. The poet describes to

us his experience of the joyous and jocund company of the daffodils which leaves

a permanent impression of a joyful memory upon his mind and this scene often

flashes upon his inward eye in the hours of leisure and reflective mood, and

becomes the bliss of solitude. Here, we have a pastoral scene described in the

real language of men. But despite its descriptive and narrative nature, the poem

1. Ibid
2. Ibid
3. Ibid
 143
conveys some deeper meanings. To quote David Perkins:

"To convert a literal fact into symbolism is very

common process of mind. With Wordsworth, however, one

feels symbolic becomes literal; it is almost as though to

watch daffodils fluttering in the wide were actually to see

term touched by the Divine life."1

'The Solitary Reaper' is another poem which exhibits the rustic1 theme
*

in the simplest language of every day conversation. The poem is of1 purely
2

descriptive and narrative nature which relates the casual observation of the

poet while he was on his tour of valley of Scotch Highlands. The sight of the

reapers in the harvest fields through which the tourists passed kindles his
j
imagination and evokes an emotional response. j
"The human figure is seen in its beautiful setting, as we see thirigs in a

dream: solitude is set to a lovely verbal music in a lyrical stanza; j

"Behold her single in the field

You solitary Highland lass:

Reaping and singing by herself
.Stop here or gently pass!
Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
And sings a melancholy strain:
O listed! for the value profound
Is overflowing with the sound."
The note of, solitude sounds and swells through this opening stanza till iti fills our
mind as her-songs fills the deep valley.She is single in the field, solitary, singing
by herself, alone;
On listen! for the Vale profound
Is overflowing with the sound."2.

1. Perkins David, "Wordsworth and the Poetry of Sincerity", Cambridge, Massa

chusetts: HarvardUniv., Press, 1964, Page -195
2. Darbishire Helen, "The Poet Wordsworth", Oxford University Press, London
1950, Page-62
 144
"Behold her" by its slightly formal tone, indicates that Wordsworth

has found something arresting in the scene. Something as appears by "Stop

here, gently pass' subtly pervading, the spell of which would be broken by the

hurry pass of the heedless travellers. Is it the sight of reaping, or the sound of

her singing, which would be broken by the hurry pass of the heedless travellers.

Is it the sight of reaping, or the sound of her singing, which is working the

mystery? Both perhaps, but mainly the song as the poet embodies his feelings

in a comparison. The girl is compared to a Nightingale signing from an oasis

"among Arabina sands"; or

"A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard

In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird

Breaking the silence of the seas

Among the farthest Hebrides."1

As he listens to the song of the Highland girl, Wordsworth cannot tell what her

"theme" may be. But this is of little importance. What matters is that she sings.

Wordsworth simply looks and hears: "I saw her singing at herwork.... I listened".

And then he must quit the velly, but something has been caught from this

encounter:

"The music in my heart I bore

Long after it was heard no more."2

For out of a few images insistently repeated - the girl reaping, the song, the

valley and the bleak space around, it - Wordsworth has crated a symbolic event,

revealing a truth of human life. Engaged in common tasks man can fill his familiar

world with his own music, keeping back the vast silence. In respect of its style,

the poem conforms to Wordsworth's theory that poetry should deal with the

themes of common life and it should use the language of common men as they

1. Selected Poem William Wordsworth,Page -169

2. Ibid
 145
used it in the state of vivid sensation. The tone is here colloquial. The imagery

is usual and concrete. Homely language has been employed to narrate a homely

theme.

But in his mediative poetry, the tone, temper and texture of the diction

changes. The simple, colloquial, plain artless and concrete style is replaced by

abstract, polysyllabic, complexly atriculated, copious and even pleonastjc style

to encloth the lofty philosophic thought of his meditative verse. Infact, even in

the same poem, his style varies from stanza to stanza as per the need of

substance. In his meditative and reflective poems Wordsworth could not adhere

to his theory of artless poetic diction. When we make a comparison of themes

and diction of the poems like -'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud', the 'Solitary

Reaper', To the Skylark’, The Cuckoo' etc. with his poems of meditative voice

like 'Ode To Duty', 'Tintern Abbey' and 'Immortality Ode', we come across the

fact that Wordsworth is equally dextrous in composing both the kinds of poetry

- poetry in which his meditative voice is scarcely heard, and also the pieces
i

that are almost entirely abstract in their sum and substance.

For an example of Wordsworth's expository or mediative vefse, we

can turn to 'Tintern Abbey'..The poem was composed in July 1798. FivO years

before, in 1793, after crossing Sarum Plain, to visit his college friend Robert

Jones, Wordsworth had made a journey to the Wye. The memory: of the

'beauteous forms' of the Wye had evidently lingered with him. He has owed to

them, in lonely rooms and in the midst of the wearing din of town and city, pleasant

and deep seated sensations, bringing peace and tranquilly to his soul. The

poet is gifted by Nature, with the serene and blessed mood which releases him

form the tyranny of body and sense. He attains a supra-sensuous superb­

consciousness which makes him know the ultimate truths of life; he becomes a
 146
living soul and acquires the visionary gleam of looking into the life of thingis.This

is the lofty theme dealt with by the poet in the poem. The vocabulary, imjagery

and stylistic techniques employed in the poem can hardly be put in the category

of simple and colloquial diction of the earlier narrative and descriptive poems.

Instead, the diction employed here is much more abstract, polysyllabic, or1 2tund,

and, in short, amply dignified and emphatic. We quote the following passage in

full:

"And now, with gleams of half-extinguished thought,

With many recognitions dim and faint,

And somewhat of a sad perplexity,

The picture of the mind revives again:

While here I stand, not only with the sense

Of present pleasure, but with pleasing thoughts

That in this moment there is life and food

Forfuture years. And so I dare to hope."1

"This implication is in no way lessened by the poet's suggestion that

i
these mystical states may be due to the 'beauteous forms of Nature.1

Nor less, I trust,

To them I may have owed another gift,

Of aspect more sublime.

It has always been a tenet of Platonism and neo-Platonism, as well as a

favourite doctrine of many mystics, that sensibility to natural beauty eads

onwards to the beauty and truth that is beyond sense.

All these phrases carry us to convey an abstract experience related

to the world of feeling and intuitive perception. Here Wordsworth has not!used

1. Selected Poem William Wordsworth, Page -130-131 ;

2. Radar Melvin, Wordsowrth-A Philosophical Approach, Oxford University, Press-
London, 1967, Page 156-57
 147
the language of the lower and middle classes of society. Words like "elevated",
’ i

'sublime', "Interfused", "genia", "ecstasy" etc. are certainly not used by the
l

Cumberland shepherd in their daily life. The syntax, too, is far removep from

ordinary conversation. In 'Tintern Abbey' we see for the first time the touch of

Miltonic gradeur in style, which reflects in the long involved sentences, afid the
« !

lofty emotions, F.W. Bateson comments : ;

"Here for the first time practically Wordsworth speaks the

language that he was afterwards to speak in prose and

in verse, in the tract in the Convention of Cintra as well i

as in The Prelude' and The Excursion' in private letters ;

and even in domestic conversation. With its long

sentences, its involved grammar and its polysyllabic

vocabulary, it was a form of discourse that abandoned all !

pretence to being the poetry of the people. But it was a ’ i

style that came much more easily to Wordsworth. i

Sometimes indeed too easily, and it clearly expressed

something fundamental in him that had hitherto been denied an outlet."1

The following comment of Margret Drabble is also very significant:

"The other poems are good, and in some ways they are more completely

successful than Tintern Abbey, which has its weak moments (what, for

instance, are hermits-those Gothic trappings - doing in line 122) and

which points forward not only to the grand achievement of The Prelude,

but also to some of the worst pseudo-poetic sublimities of Wordsworth's

middle and old age. Tintern Abbey is not good at the expense of other

poems in the book; it is good in quite a different way."2

1. Bateson, FW "Wordsworth - A Re-interpretation, Longmans, Green & Co. Ltd.

London, 1954,142-43
2. Drabble Margaret, "Wordsworth Evans Brother Limited/London 1968,
Page-75-76
 148
Like 'Tintern Abbey', The 'Immortality Ode' is also a meditative,

philosophic poem. The first four stanzas of the poem are lyrical and emotional,

that give the description of poet's childhood. The poem begins with the statement
!

of crisis. He states that during his infacy he beheld the whole universe enclothed

with a celestial light. But that time is no more. The dream has vanished. The

poet is now troubled to miss that Divine vision of childhood which he beheld in

Nature:

"Wither is fled the visionary gleam?

Where is it now, the glory and the dream?"1

The first four stanzas of the poem begin with the troubled mpod of

the poet and give the statement of this grave crisis that had appeared in the

creative life of the poet owing to the vanishing of visionary gleam in Nature.

According to Helen Darbinshire:

"He is once more in the vein of bare simplicity in which for him the bare

truth is best told. The varied language of the Ode, released as it is from

the experimental purpose that purged that of the Lyrical Ballads, has

touches of splendour and of magic that belong to another' mode

altogether; yet it has upon it the stamp of that earlier ascetic discipline.

The words tell him though with a truth and simplicity that remains the

groundwork of his poetic style."2

After stating this crisis in the first four stanzas of the Ode, the poet

explores reasons for the failure of this splendid divine vision of childhood in

nature during the mature years. The explanation that he gives for the loss of

'vision' is based on the Platonic theory of Pre-natal existence. It is because

when a child is born on the earth, he is nearer to heaven and brings with him the
i

1. Wordsworth, "Ode on Intimations of Immoratality From Recollection of Early

Childhood', The Poetical Wroks of William Wordsworth, Page 940 i
2. Darbishire Helen, "The Poet Wordsworth", Page 73-74
 149
reminiscences of his pre-natal existence in heaven. It is because of this reason

"heaven lies about us in our infancy. Its theoruy has been scorned or impugned

by some; parts of it have been called nonsense by critics of weight. But,!sound

or unsound, sense or nonsense, it is poetry, and magnificent poetry, from the

first line to the last-poetry than which there is non better in any language, poetry

such as there is not perhaps more than a small value-full in all languages. As a

philosophic, meditative poem, 'the Ode' embodies several themes. It depicts

*

the visionary experience of childhood, the fading of youthful vision with the
t

advance of the age, the natural piety that binds our days each to each, and the

philosophic compensation of maturity. The poem seems to lay emphasis on

the theme of immortality which is placed absolutely in the forge ground' by the

title of the poem. Helen Darbishire comments:

"The Theme is for him the central theme, the immortal

nature of the human spirit, intuitively known by the child,

partly forgotten by the growing man, butto be known

once more in maturing through intense experience of

heart and mind."1

Naturally, such an elevated and philosophic theme could but be clothed in an

ode. 'The Immortality Ode' is essentially a free Pindaric ode of the type

established by Cowley and perfected by Dryden. His usual odes are not like

this, but more formal and more regular. Only here does he build an ode not in

repeated stanzas of a fixed form, and it must be of this that Hazlitt was thinking

when he said of Wordsworth: "The Ode and Epode, the Strophe and the

Antistrophe, he laughs to scorn."2 The Ode was thought appropriate for great

occasions and sublime subjects, and in his choice of it, Wordsworth shows
i

1, Darbishire Helen, The Poet Wordsworth, Page 67

2. Bowra C.M., The Romantic Imagiatnion, Page - 78
 150
how seriously he treated his theme. He was more at home with a strict and
i

narrow form like that of his 'Ode to Duty', and there are passages in 'The

immortality Ode' which have less than his usual command of rhythm and ability

to make a line stand by itself, as if he were not quite sure how to use the liberties

at his disposal. But those are unimportant. The whole has a capacious sweep,

and the form suits the majestic subject which Wordsworth deals.

The Ode's unusual form is matched by its unusual language.

Wordsworth here, does not stick to his theory that poetry should be written "as

for as possible in a selection of language really used by men." But it would

perhaps, be unfair to charge Wordsworth for departing from his poetic principle

of diction because the majestic and sublime theme of the Ode needed and

equally majestic and sublime language. Here," the stately metrical form is

matched by stately use of words. Wordsworth seems to have decided that his

subject was so important that it must be treated in what was for him an unusual
i

manner, and for it he fashioned his own high style."1 The diction is felicitous, it

varies according to the need of thought and moulded according to the poet's

purpose as his thought moves from stage to stage.

The dominant image through which the poet's sense of loss and

recovery is expressed, is that of light. Indeed the imagery of light dominates the

whole Ode. His thought is carried from stanza to stanza and from phrase to

phrase in images of light. There are two other major images, those of the sea

and flowers. The flower-image in one shape or another keeps treading its way

through the Ode till it comes to rest in the quite beautiful lines at the close;

"Thanks to the human heart by which we live,

Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,

To me the meanest flower that blows can give

Thoughts that do often lie too deep fortears."2

1. From Bowra C.M., The Romantic Imagination, Page 78
2. Selected Poem William Wordsworth, Page-252
 151
Poetry, he says, "takes its origin from emotion recollected in
l
tranquillity. He then goes on to trace the course of poetry from this morpent of

origin. For, next, 'the motion is contemplated till by a species of reaction the
i
tranquillity gradually disappears, and an emotion, kindred to that which was

before the subject of contemplation, is gradually produced, and does itself

actually exist in the mind. In this mood successful composition generally begins,
i

and in a mood similar to this it is carried on. Therefore, the process has four

stages: recollection, contemplation, recrudescence, and composition, j

Both Wordsworth and Frost have the fundamental similarity in respect

of their choice of poetic material. Like Wordsworth, Frost also shows his keen
I

interest in choosing the incidents and events from rural life. He is a pastoral
I

poet and holds the view that fundamentally the very nature of poetry is rural:

"Poetry is mode often of the country than of the city.

Poetry is very, very rural-rustic. It stands as reminder of

rural life - as a resource - as a resource."1

Frost's poetry has pastoral setting. It conforms to the ideas of pastoral poetry

minus its conventional mode and artificiality. The diagouges and monologues

involving New England landscape and characters were compared to the 'Idylls'
i

of Theocritus. The rural life of New England not only provided the background
i

and setting to Frost's poetry but also the very speech syntax, idioms, phrases
j
and images to it. This line of thought was in accord with Theocritus, Horace and

Vigil, who all wrote in favour of country. Since Frost is a modern poet,|he has

adapted this tradition as a symbolic technique of reflecting uplon the

. I

complexities of modern industrialised urban world. He is a master of conscious

i
art and tireless experimentalist in language. He practises a conversational style

and dislikes obscurity. His theory of poetry, principles of poetic organisation

1 .Thompsons Lawrence, Robert Frost: The Years of Triumph 1915-1938, New York
: Holt, 1970, Page 431 |

i
 152
and composition, versification and imagery are indicative of his mature art. His

art bears autobiographical influences which the poet has had to receive from

time to time while dealing with his various themes. His former poetry has been

written under the Georgian influence. It is predominantly lyrical. His latter'poetry

forms the period of dramatic poems. This period contains poem which are

mainly in dramatic form. His themes are usually man versus nature, or men

involved in rural life, and love between couples, or loneliness of man amidst

nature.

Frost's aim was to convey this rustic material through a language

closest to this life. Frost has been through the longest period of experimentation

in mastering the technique of his art. Experience made him realise that speech

of books and the speech of life were far more fundamentally different than was

supposed. It made him teach that real artistic speech was only to be copied

from life. Fidelity to truth and life makes him a stern realist. Therefore, he has

been successful in capturing the naturalness and simplicity of the plaih

unsophisticated life of the New Englanders, and his poetry faithfully records the

very ethos, sum and substance of this life with its particular set of habits,
i

activities, beliefs, ideals, traditions and code of conduct.

Frost is a very conscious artist. His poetry has been praised for

some qualities. Frost is very good at choosing apt words - both from the point

of meaning and from the point of view of sound. The quality of reticence that is

inherent in Frost's poetry makes him use minimum words with maximum effect.

The epigrammatic terseness of Frost's is outstanding that arrests attention of

every reader. Further, Frost is both an innovator and a traditionalist in the realm

of poetic technique. On the one hand, we find him to be traditionalist and his

poetry shows an extra-ordinary freedom from modern fads of technique and on

 153 !
the other, we also observe that, bound as he is with traditions, he made certain
■»

important innovations in the field of poetic art. He had renounced thet usual

subject matter current in his times and discarded the claims of complex symbolic

and imagist streams of poetic expression and chosen, instead, to write of homely

and country things, regarding them with his matchlessly keen observation and

celebrating them with his almost painfully restrained eloquence. !

The originality of Frost's style lies in his singular use and arrangement

of materials. His entire corpus is pure, economical and spare Yet its apparent

simplicity is deceptive. He works largely with implied symbols and imagery. He

also uses a great deal of alliteration, assonance and synesthesia. ’Adapting

I

traditional metres, he experiments with verse forms and creative spirit and

attempts to make the poem itself a reflection of his aesthetic theory, i

But before we proceed to dissect the texture of Frost's poetic

technique, it is pertinent to explore the possible sources which worked as

i

prominent influences to shape and methodise it. Poets learn from other poets.

They borrow subject matter, tone and technique, quite often hints of style. While

influence vary in degree and importance, the most important kind of influence

is the kind whereby the post has learnt to handle significant experience. Such

an influence is often seen in the verbal affinities of one poet with another, the

way a poet assimilates into his verbal texture elements of style of another poet.

His preoccupation with the material and the quest for essential, produce an
i

imagery which is at once sensual and etheral, giving an unmistakable cast to

his poetry. The imagery used by the poet proceeds from his peculiar manner of

viewing life. In part, it is a product of his preoccupation with the material universe.

Simulateously, it is an attempt to present the essence, not the external

appearance of the world which surrounds him. Internal evidence of this) nature
 154
is perhaps the most reliable guide in tracing influences, since then, there is no

external evidence to show that one poet was influenced by another, or that he

was acquainted with another; and, further poets may lie and try to cover up their

source. ;

Here we have to make a distinction between influence and

resemblance. Poets may resemble other poets but this resemblance ddes not

necessarily mean influence. This resemblance may be coincidental without any

direct influence involved. For example, in respect of the use pastoral subject
i

matter, Crabbe is allied to Frost. Certain striking resemblances may be seen

to exist between the methods of the two poets because of the mutually shared

verbal qualities arising from the similar concern. But still the resemblances may

not amount to an influence because no definite verbal affinities exist between

the two. Chaucer's use of monologue in The Wife of Bath's Prologue] might

have suggested more than Browings' a model for Frost's monologues jn, say

The Witch of Coos', and 'A Servant to Servant’s. But there is little likelihood of

notable influence here. And the resemblance may be found to be superficial,

despite Frost's express statement that he had learned from Chaucer’s

conservational manner. 1 Of course, Frost's poems show both influences and

resemblances; the literary influences contribute to the shaping of Frost's style

and the resemblances ally Frost to other poets. The influences and

resemblances together make a concept of stylistic tradition relevant to the study

of Frost's style. Frost dislikes the bewildering complexity of modern poeljry. He

I

also hates literary snobs who take delight in understanding something that they

think nobody understands. He hates allusiveness and obscuration. His own

words are remarkable:

I.Cleanth Brooks & Robert Penn Barren, Coversation with Robert Frost and
Others on the Craft of Poetry, New York : Holt, Richart & Winston, 1963, Page-5
 155
Occasionally I am a bit ashamed when a technical name of a flower gets

in one of my poems because I feel a poet should not include in his writing anything

thatthe average readerwill not understand. ' ,

The relation of Frost's style to the milieu will become clear if we

categorise poems broadly, into two types; they are, to offer a rough hypothesis,

the discursive and the non discursive. The discrustive poem relies on statement

and, therefore, on the resources of syntax. The non-discursive poem, on the

other hand, depends for it effects an image and symbol. The nature of Frost's

pottering general is discursive. Frost was in favour of "coherence, logic and

consistency"1 qualities germane to the discursive mode. As opposed to

fragmentary sentences. Irregular verse forms, abrupt shifts from subject to

subject and an elliptical mode of reference which characterise what has come

to be known as modern poetry, "Frost's sentences'tare always clear, his verse

forms traditional, his language close to every day speach."2 On the surface,

Frost's work has a disarming simplicity, and his poetry lacks in complexity of

thought that one finds at the centre of modern verse. Thus as far as technique is

concerned Frost has no link with modern verse. We expect in modern poetry/

an ironic view but we find Frost whimsical or jocular; we expect an awareness

of paradox and find him offering confident opinions' we expect a tension of

feelings and find him writing in the relaxed mood of conversation; we expect

myth and find that he gives us anecdote. i

This impulse for simplicity is definitely inspired by his contemporary

modern poets like Ezra Pound and Eliot. Frost represents the traditional stream

of poetry that derives it simple unartful and conversational diction from traditional

sources. The impulse of simplicity which we are talking of in the context ofFrost's

technique, is amply found in the plays of Shakespeare. Shakespeare's

1. Selected Prose of Robert Frost, ed. Hyde Cox and EC Lanthem, New York,
Holt, 1963, Page 60
2. Lynen F. John, The Pastoral Artof Robert Frost, Page-2
 156
aristocratic characters talk in lofty language of verse but his common stock
i

speaks the language very close to the language of every day conversation. Of
I
all the writers, living and dead, Shakespeare exerted the most potent influence

on Frost, though not acknowledged to the degree. His reading of Shakespeare

occurred on several times at different intervals. In 1893, he read ;Hamlet',

t
i
'Macbeth' and The Tempest'. Again in 1900-10, when he was settled in his

derry Farm, he resumed his reading of Shakespearean plays which were stages

by his studentancors. He admired the give and take of Shakespeare'Js lean

and sharp dialogues and most effective when the threat of thought and action

was not snarled into a maze of metaphor and adjective in his writingj Frost

decided in 1893 and corroborated in later readings) to achieve Shakespearean

I
qualities and kept searching for hints and clues that might help him understand

and master these technical aspects of poetry."1

Contrasting moods and tones, stanziac elements, assonance,

alliteration, rhyme and metrical effects are variously present in his poetry

controlled by the unifying elekents. The influence on Frost's style described

above is, therefore, of a general nature, and can only be described jto the

directions set by the classical models. For more specific kind of influence,

however, we may have to turn to the later British poets Crabbe, Wordsworth,
I

Hardy and Edward Thomans etc. Though far from Frost in time, Crabbe seems
|
to have a definite relation to Frost's narrative poems. Certain broad features

are common to both. The poems of both are impersonal; their interest are aptively
i

engaged in presenting the lives of others around them in a pastoral setting. In

both the rural community makes itself felt as a stable presence. Thq styles of
i

both are lucid, matter of fact, and characterised by a certain bare honesty. But

the resemblances cease here, and the difference becomes apparent, ffor as
1. Thompson Lawrence, Robert Frost: The Early Year 1874-1915, New York:
Holt, 1966, Pagr 155
 157
Alverez puts it, "There is a certain toughness in Frost that is not the sdme as

Crabbe's moral firmness."1 This is because Crabbe has Chaucer behiiid him;

something of Chaucer's range and humanity touches Crabbe.Besides, he

i
shares the irony of Jane Austen, his contemporary. Frost has none of these
I

advantages. He has, of course, Emerson behind him, but his attitude to Emerson

is ambiguous. In his poems Frost holds his theme in isolation, and presents

them in all their starkness. The moral commitments which we find with Crabbe

are not explicitly expressed in Frost. Instead moral commitments, in the Ffostian

world, the need is simply to survive. For Frost, philosophy of survival id more

important than the moral commitments.

i
Frost's comparison with Hardy is more pertinent than with Crabbe.

Hardy is more akin to Frost than crabbe. There is an intense impulse of realism

in Hardy which resembles the spirit of Frost's work. Background of hostile (Nature

is common to both with Hardy's and Frost's works, n an early letter of 1894,

Frost pays a tribute to Hardy for his having taught him "the good use:of few

words"2 We notice that Hardy would have inspired in Frost that uncompromising

fidelity to fact and detail which is distinguishing quality of Frost. But despite

these verbal affinities with Hardy, Frost has little of Hardly's self-effacement, his

matter-of-fact humility; Frost's tenderness, sadness, and humour are adulterated

with vanity and hard complacency".3

Besides this, the other British poets like Browing and Wordsworth

and others might have also influenced Frost in varying degrees in capturing the

tones of dramatic dialogue and catching the accents of the real spoken language

of man. This British influence on Frost is very wide and varied, often composite

1. Alvarez A., The Shaping Spirit, Studies in Modern English and Americal Ffoets,
Darnam : Duke Univ. Press, 1975, Page -169
2. Selected Prose of Robert Frost, Page-29
3. Jemell Randal, The Third Book of Criticism, New York : Dutton, 1968, Page 300
 158
and not easily traceable to any one single poet, however, it had surely contributed

to frame the sylistic potential of Frost.

Now, we come to the major influence on Frost from American source

already pointed out. The surface disarming simplicity and lack of mythical

complexity keep him at an arm's length from the modern tradition of Eliot, Yeats

and Ezra Pound etc. "The illusion of simplicity is so strong that it is hard to

place Frost in the present century, and one is therefore, tempted to assume

that he is a belated Victorian writing in a manner so familiar and well understood

that there is no need to examine his methods as a poet."1 Among the American

poets the possible sources of influence on the stylistic of Frost may be Whitman,

Emily Dickinson, Robinson and Emerson etc. Like Frost, Whitman also regarded

that the glory of expression is simplicity. He sought a medium in which he could

express satisfactorily the expansive soul and the expansive mind and body of

democratic man developing in a new continent and forming a new and different

society. In such an attempt, though he did not free himself from poetic diction,

he refreshed it with bold frankness and realism of speech.

In the American poetic scene, Frost and Robinson, the New

Englanders represent a reaction against the verbal complexities in the poetic

textures of their contemporary modern poets like Elicit, Yeats and Pound and
i
the artificial sugared melody of Tennyson-Swinburne mode. Robinson in; 1895,

versified his dis-satisfaction thus :

"Fora beacon bright

To lift the changeless glimmer of dead gray,

To put these little sonnet man to fight

Who fashion in shrewd mechanic way

Songs without soul that flicker for a day

To vanish in irrevocable night."2

1. John F. Lyne, The Pastoral Art of Robert Frost, Page-2 ;

2. Qu. from Lawrence Thompson's, Fire and Ice : The Art and Thought of Robert
Frost, New York, Russell & Russell 1961, Page-8
 159
Another New Englander who seems to have had considerable

influence on Frost is Emily Dickinson. Her pithy and epigrammatic poenis have

definitely inspired Frost to write in that manner. Infact, Emily Dicknson and

Emerson were Frosts immediate poetic heritage. ■

Emerson's influence on American literature has been, it seems,

ubiquitous. There is perhaps hardly any American written who does not, in some

remote fashion, if not directly, feel Emerson's influence. But with Frost, as both

Frost and current critical opinion agree, the influence of Emerson has been

direct and major. It is the influence that Frost accepts as well as rejects; it

provides him with the framework in which to operate and also the challenge

which he often resists. Frost was pragmatic in his approach to Emerson. He

took from Emerson whatever was immediately relevant to his purpose. And

quite often support was to be found in Emerson's express statements for some

of his stylistic practices. Thus Frost's style can directly be linked to Emerson's

emphasis on a language of facts and things. Frost rather called himself a

synecdochist: and Emersons's famous method of analogy was synecdoche.

Further Frost got his notion of voice tones., as he himself admits, straight from

Emerson's poem 'Monadnoc', Evidence for this many-sided relation of Frost

an Emerson is not hard to come by. Emerson stresses on a language of things

-the precept that Emerson lays down in 'Nature' would sound momentous if

read in the context of Forst's style. After complaining how "old words are

perverted to stand for things which are not", and how' In due time the fraud is

manifest, and words lose all power to stimulate the understanding or the

affections," Emerson writes"" But wise men pierce this rotten diction and fasten

words again to visible things."1 !

1. Selected Writings of Emerson, ed. Brooks Atkinson, NewYork: Hoftner, 1965,

Page-17 ;
 T160
Frost turned away from old words and Victorian poetical creed after

'A Boy's Will'. He tried to 'fasten words again to visible things to actual things,

and facts to which poems about them. In 'North of Boston' and 'Mountain Interval’,

he wrote poems, as their titles suggest, on objects related to practical life in

the country; on 'Birches', 'Mending Wall', 'The Axe-Helve', The Granc|stone',

'Blueberries', After Apple Picking', The Mountain' and so on. Frost himself was

aware of this aspect of his language, for when he praised Thomas's verse, he

did so in terms of his own stylistic preoccupation; "His concern to the last was

what it had always been, to touch earthly things and come as near them in

words as would come". 1 This was Frost's own favourite method to, let words

come as near to objects as words can, and in this respect he shows upon

himself the influence of Emerson.

i
But still, we can not affirm that Frostworks under the complete shade

of Emerson. There is much of Emerson that Frost resists. Presumably there

were not one but three Emersons' the pragmatic, the whimsical and the

mystical.2 Emerson's glorifciation of things and mystic colouring to the objects

of Nature has no co-relation with Frost. The correspondence of natural facts to

spiritual facts stressed by Eemrson, is not much agreeable to Frost: In this

1 !
respect, Emerson "was a direct inheritor of the Wordsworthian traditon."3.

Frost's poem 'Design' appears to be questioning Emerson's assumption of a

i

beneficent design in the universe. The framework of the poem is Mersonian,

I
I
but the attitude of the poet is one of scepticism, which represents the very spirit

of Frostian Philosophy. Most of the Nature poems of Frost depict the sense of

lonelienss and alientaiton - something which sows basic disagreement with

1. Selected Letters of Robert Frost, compiled by Lawrence Thompson, New York,

Holt, 1964, Page-217
2. Sharma T.R.S., Robert Frost's Poetic Style, Delhi: Cacmillan & Co., 1981,
Page-19 !
3. Brower A Reuben, The Poetry of Robert Frost: Constellations of Intention.
 161
Emerson. Thus it is only the pragmatic Emerson that appeals to Frost' the (mystic

Emerson remain always a challenge that Frost would frequently resist.

So the question of influences is endless.Although we have discjussed

I
i
the possible prominent sources of influences whence Frost would have prawn

his raw material for maturing his craft, yet we must not forget the basic fajct that
I
the primary source of learning for Frost is life., Frost's poetry is deeply rotted in
i
life. His use of language is rooted in experience, and so it is not a mere imitation

of a literary model, however great that model may be. Frost realised quite early

in life, that real artistic speech was only to be copied from life. Right from his

twentieth year, Frost's interest in people was for their speech. During his years

at Derry farm, he leant his ear to the gossip of his neighbours and tried to learn

the facts which had the ring of poetry. He gave his ear to listen the talk of the

people of his surroundings to capture the very rhythms and inflections pf their

voice. He had a strong conviction that:

"We write of things we see and write an account we hear.

Thus we gather both our material and our technique with

the imagination from life."1

Frost uses speech rhythm and employs conversational rrjode of

r I

expression in order to elucidate his meaning. Through his poetic devfce and

use of a colloquial language he ushers a breakthrough. He scrupulously avoids

the use of sensational imagery and literary or recondite allusion.

In the words of Mr. Lyne, "Theyankee manner, for which Frosihas

i

been so often and so deservedly praised, is something more than a mere

technical achievement. Every poet, of course, must find or create his idiom,
i
and Frost's when he finally achieve it in the poems of "North Of Boston", is an

....... *1 ..... " ........................... ..... -- 1 .............. ................ .— ■ —......t..... ............. .......

1. Selected Letters of Robert Frost, compiled by Lawrence Thompson, Nejw York

: Holt, 1964, Page-144
 r162
amazingly subtle mode of expression. Everyone must be impressed by h(s nice

sense of language and delicacy in handling tonal effect."1

This accounts for the note of pithy and concentrated realism in |Frost.

His poems are made of common vocabulary and the cadence of eveijy day
i

speech They have a sharp eye for the natural detail and matter-of-fact casual

tone. The natural sounds and the accents of human voice find a spontaneous

expression in the speech of Frost's characters that appear in 'North of boston'

i

and other poems. There is a colloquial and conversational rhythm in the dramatic
i

monologues of Frost. There is a strong regional things in the dialogues;and a

strong Yankee flavour. Again, in conversation the tone, the inflections, the
I
intonations, the accents vary from speaker to speaker.The speech-syntax is

broken and loose. There are parenthesis, pauses, breaks, eclipses, unfinished

sentences, halting measures, sudden ejaculations, repetitions and abrupt

i

openings give a dramatic note and a colour of realism to his dictiorji. The
t
i
i

conversational colloquial quality of Frost is also reflected in his rhythms. Most

of his poetry is cast in the traditional lambic metre. But variations are introduced
i

subtly and skilfully. Frost is not an innovator and he has never tried his hand at
i
free verse lie Yeats, Eliot, Pound and Auden. But upto the 19th century his

variations are wider and more frequent than those of other poets. |
i

Frost is a great expereimentalist with stanziac forms and verse forms,

i

but he is in no sense an innovator. His skill is seen in his adoption of old traditional

metres to his own uses. He has experimented with odes, eclogues, satires,

dramatic monologues and dialogues and masques. He has employed ballad

metre, sonnet and sonnet variants, terzarima, heroic couplets, blank verse and

freely invented forms. Forst's verse is formal. Its movements are jeasily

1. Lynen F John, The Pastoral Art Of Robert Frost, Page-80

 163
anticipated. Yet, despite this, his technique is flexible His handling of language
I

and cadence is so careful and delicate, that he is able to give his most elegant

poems the air of spontaneity. The first and foremost thing that arrests our attention

in the poetic technique of Frost, is its disarming simplicity Obscurities of style

and complexity of design which are the familiar features of modern poetry are

conspicuously absent in Frost. '

Frost defines poetry as "performance in words" or "poetry as way of

I

grappling with life". He has a firm convjction that there is an inner relationship
i

between life and poetry. According to him poetry is rooted in the soil of life

experiences and a poem is but an enactment of this experience. Thejtest of

good poetry is that it must carry within its frame the essence of life. Tfje very

nature of life is dramatic and episodic. The universe is a great stage, claimed

Shakespeare, where men and women are merely players. Since poetry is the

enactment of this great drama of life, it should mirror life faithfully, realistically

and naturally. Like all great poets Frost wants to retain his originality and

truthfulness to life not only in the presentation of his substance but also in its

mode of communication. Therefore, he wants to be closest to the Speech

j

rhythm syntax and tone of the everyday conversation of the common man. In
r

this respect, he shows his affinity with Wordsworth. But we should keep in mind

that in the matter of copying naturalness and simplicity of life, Frost is far ahead

to Wordsworth. If Wordswroth wrote with the eye on the object, Frost wrote with

the ear of the voice of the speaker. His theory of the "sound of sense" id based

on this principle of transcription of life as realistically and as accurately as it is

i
I

possible. He viewed that "The Ear Doesn't it, the ear is the only true writer and

the only true reader". 1 ;

1. Mulder William, Robert Frpost on 'The Sound of Sense', New York: Holt, Rinehart
and Winston, 1942), Page 32
 164
Thus, Frost has deep rooted faith in what he calls "sound of sense"

or "tones of voices" or "vocal gesture"Fas he felt the necessity of bringing the

vernacular or living accent to the printed page, which was a stage large enough

for him to show the emotional drama of those people whom he knew personally.

Frost knew that only "sound of sense' could convey the elemental human
i

emotions with their fundamental energy. He trasnformed it into a powerful

technique of his poetic style, for modulating emotions, for hinting at the nuances
|
of emotional or unapprovable meanings, in brief, for conveying the sensibilities
I

and attitudes of the speakers in his poems. For Frost "sound of sense" means

the exact tone of meaning in human speech. Lawrence Thompson correctly

puts:

"He (Frost) is interested in the sense, or the meaning,

that is communicated by the sound. He begins by

exploring the psychology of sound in words and points

out that a spoken word has two planes of meaning even

in prose. On one plane, there is the restricted meaning of

denotation, regardless of whether the word is written or

spoken. On the second plane, there is an additional

meaning of connotation which is given by the tone of the

voice."1
j
So, in Frost meaning is expressed not so much through the "words" or "syntax'

than through the speech rhythm, speech stress and finally the tone of the speaker.
r

This accounts for the dramatic quality of his poems. Like Browning, he wjishes

to create in miniature the drama of life in his poetry. The dramatic nature of life

makes Frost conscious about the dramatic qualities in his writing. In Preface

To A Way Out', he says: |

1. Thompson, Lawrence Roger, Fire and Ice : The Art and Thought of Robert frost,
Page-44
 165
"A dramatic necessity goes deep into the nature of the

sentence. Sentences are not different enough to hold the

attention unless they are dramatic. No ingenuity of

varying structure will do. All that can save them is the

speaking tone of voice entangled in the words and

fastened to the page for the ear of the imagiantion'M

Thus, Frost again and again emphasises the value of the speaking

tone of the voice. He believes that every meaning has a, "particular sound

posture", or the sense of every meaning has a particular sound, therefore, sound

and sense are indivisible and inseparable from each other. He stressed that in

speech the sentence involves a proper arrangement and choice of words through

which sense of humour, pathos, hysteria, anger, hate and such other kinds of

emotional effect can be produced. Further, he believes that the real poetry

consists of, "words that have become deeds", and that"words are worse than

nothing unless they do something". Therefore, in his poetry he tries to make

words expressive of action posture by introducing, even into his serious poems,

various kinds of word play, voice tones and punch lines and other action devices.

To surnup the whole discussion, we can point out that Frost's stress

was son simplicity and clarity. His poetic concerns are akin to those of

Wordsworth. Like him, he is interestedrin choosing the incidents and situations

from common life and then to present them in a language actually used by the

common present man, whose heartfelt passions are not restrained. Like

Wordsworth, Frost also particularly emphasises the concern for catching within

the lines of his poems the rhythm and cadences and tones of human speech.

He uses simple colloquial diction with conversational tone of Yankee speech.

There is a regional quality of his diction which is seen not so much in the choice
1. Forst, "A Preface to a Way Out", Selected Prose Frost, Page -13-14
 166
of words, but in their arrangement. The particular Yankee values, attitudes and

mental and emotional states are conveyed to us through the speech syntax,

casual and natural rhythmic patterns of theirspoken language. He composes

i

his poems in a conversational style with perfect ease and skill. His rhymes

come effortlessly and without any strain. His exact and genuine poetryihas a

definite and sound.claim on his readers. The Poet thinks in rhyme and dreams
i

in rhyme. Lines of his poems sound like actual speech of Yankees. The gaiety

and cheerfulness of his poetry extorts praise. Thus, the simple textureiof his

verse conceals with in it layer within layer of meaning and results in the richness

riches of texture. Frost's language is, simple but highly suggestive. Careful

reading suggests that it is the result of an art that conceals art. i

i
Ikeda is a great poet. He creates the poetry, which can fulfil the thirst

of the reader. He writes in regular and standard manner. He is aigreat

environmentalist and the thinking manner is like Tulsjidas,

I

Surdas,Bihari,Shakespare etc. He has choosen a simple word that can be

easily understood by the simple reader. It is interesting and readable. The

tremendous example and their aptness enrich the meaning which peep through

his poetry. Ikedas' poetry has a power of communication and the hallmark of

the great poetry. He has created the heart in poetry means he see h^art in
i
every creature of God as well as human being and this he show very smartly

through this poetry. The great artist writes in seven and five syllable. He

emphasis on this that poetry should be true and have no glimpse of prose. It

should have beautiful rhyme. The syllable metre adopted by IKEDA is a tradition

approveness with modernity. As a matter of fact it is surprising that translated

i
poems have a same tone. He writes Hiragana Japanese syllabic character. It
r

can be stated that the great poet wants to develop this metre with his new
 167
modernity, orthe survival of the old. When the many Japanese were not using

their traditional form as well as they are neglecting the fragrance of the blooming

poetry. He respect the old traditions of metre.

"Since he had got high level of the sense of education, he is able to

use such good language, so that speaking to us and giving to us descriptions

from the simple life of nature of everyday, to create to us the unforgotten feeling

that we enter in a new cosmos, in the same time fantastic, something as a feast

of nature!.... Thanks to Kazuyosi and his poetical art, it became possibleto the
j

universal community to understand easier our surrounded world, our lives and

ourselves. Reading his poetry we can becomes better friends and neighbours
j
with the nature, the environment and the world. Even more, we learn how to

preserve a quiet and calm world, for today and always after reading Ikeda'
F i
sublime poetry. j
I

Every line is a song put out from his heart. Side by side, shovyed to

us great aspects and views from the Japanese country and its people, in order

to understand all in a better way. We can also discover the points of view of the
i

written towards the life and the world from his verses. And as philosopher'helps

the reader, Prof. Ikeda gives the motive and the inspiration to mediate upon al

these.

Kazuyosi believes that a poem must have both the beauty of the

spirit and at the same time the meter. So, he usually wrote in the traditional

Japanese Syllabometer, translating his poems in English by himself. He has

r j

translated also a lot of foreign poetry in the Japanese language, als i.e.

Shakespeare etc., contributing to a higher and larger acquaintance and

understanding among the peoples."1 :

1. Dwivedi S.C. & Shubha, Prof. Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda, "Poet of Millenium Karuna
India Prakashan, Allahabad, 2004, Page 154
 168
Yet he is a great and devoted scientist but it is a astonishing matter
i
f

that he can creates his personality through his poetry in a sense of Waiting
|
always for good word and excellent poetry. His goodness lies in his behalf that
i

he believe in all thing having a beating heart, see the power and beauty ini all his
i

observing things. It recalls the idea of Bhagwat geeta. Upnishad and all the holy

books. He presented picture gallery who talks about himself, His depiction of

every object is excellent. It is written by his rich pen through his rich thought.
j
i

There is a various moods comes across us when we read the ipoetry

of Ikeda. He see in every poem real information which is the discover his own
i

world. He has a high level of meditation but his language is too simple, can be

understood by the simple reader. The description are like a speaking or

conversation of daily life. His poetic quality is highly applausive. We always

i

enter in a calm world through the poetry of this great man and suppose ourself

in heaven. This we can gain through the simple word used by him. j

"An opal gives off gracious-and natural light.

It has the colour of milk, maternal mercy

the colour of sad dream, passing, faint and light

It subtlety it excels lapis lazuli."

i

Such a big philosophy presented here in simple word actually

greatness lies in the pen and thoughts of honourable Ikeda. The glimpses men

of letters of English literature like Shakespeare, Kants, Milton Chaucer <btc can
i

be felt here but it should be clear here that he is the man of science surrounding.

His feeling, thinking, chosen of word, vision are very much different frbm the
|
modern poet. The symbol used by this great man is unique yet he is pot the

1. Ibid, Page-72
 169
man of India but in India one who study him, enjoy and join to him. It means that

his words are of such types which can be understood by American French,

German etc. The every poem come before are like a dream land where very

words are sparking like a star and creating a new meaning. It can be understand

by the simple men of the world. He tried to spread the inner meaning which

goes on constantly in his mind when ever he see any object of the nature

His contribution can not be on side tracked by any one but Have a

uniqueness and vividness "The Best Poets wait for best word Articles written

by S. C. Dwivedi very much clear the vision of reader.

" Every word in Ikeda is a picture. Ikeda is a as obscure as life. But he is

as visible in his poetry as nature. Like Mathew Arnold. Pope Shakespeare,

Homer Vergil and Raute he has seceded in making his every word a picture.

We do not know any modern poet who has given us such a rich picture gallery

of Animal birds gagets and other thing. His picture gallery is astonishingly rich.

He has written poems on Taxi Sub way Train and Aeroplane. Ikeda is full of
|

genius. He sees and says in poetic language. He sees all. His sight leaves

none. His vision is comprehensive. The poetic and unpoetic are mixed in his

poetry. The prose and poetry, dance through his poems and poetic lines,"

Here it can be said that his technique is unique. He set his words in

amazing order. His poetry interprets life. His matchless poems are because of

the simplicity. There is a autobiographical mood which we can see in the poetry

of Ikeda now and there. He writes according his own experience anjd own

perception. We feel, Ikeda's poetry a major importance in the world literature.

It stired the literature of English. His simplicity can not be ignored. He writes on

mouth like lips, teeth, Tongue, or winter clothes like groves, muffer, overcoat.
i
1. Majumdar, Dr. Biplab, "Prof. Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda", Phenomena of world poetry,
International Soceity of Kolkata, 200, Page -32
 170 I
He writes on nose like Red Nose, Hooked nose or sniveling nose. Or Ice life

lump of ice. Ice Cream, Electrical Applicances like a plug , switch, fusej Four
I
Season like spring Rain, Summer grass, Autumn wind, and Winter mountain
i
etc. Its a matter of fact that Japanese poet have a power to write such a fine

English. It is a wise statement that the value of word used by him is not used by
i

any one earlier. He is a witty poet. His expressions is in musical manner which

enchant the mind of reader. The numberless poetry write by him can b^ read
I

and feel because of its charming method. We can examine this by a small

example. Yet it is a like a small light showing before the sun. But his levery
r

poems is a kind of maxim, can improve the path of wrong going man."

"A WIND FROM EAST"

"My heart is calm and tranquil on a day in spring.

0 wind mind from the east blows for a while strongly

Flower fall and my heart is disturbed heavily.

This sudden chaos may be a day dreams of spring." 1

A new meaning is be stated by the poet here, he presents a

paradoxical mood which create something new. What ever we read from; Ikeda
is very much different from other, a sense of freshness is always there, whatever
come in the hand of Ikeda, create a new meaning. |

There is a beautiful details erf Nature in Ikeda. It is astonishing point

that how a great scientist is thinking of that. There is a glimpse of autobiography
scattered in many of his poem.

"My Kite! group higher and higher in the sky

I will put my heart on my kite to rise together

I wish that my heart would be as high as sky

To look down on this world low and inferior."2

1. Ibid, Page-113 j
2. Dwivedi S.C. & Shubha, "Prof. Kazuyosi Ikeda", A Poet of Millenium, 200«jt,
Page -20
 171
The whole poem is embodied with the term autobiography. The poeti feels

sorrow when he see turmoil every where. The environment can be expressed in

a from of pollution. What he experienced can appear by his eyes like camera,

felt in his poetry. He writes very living, likable and charming poem. So his

contribution as well as poetic technique cant be side tracked yet it has its own

importance. i

Yet he is a man of Japan but when readers come across his poetry they
r

find it according their religion. This is fact that he has never read. Hindu, Muslim

sikhs etc. but what ever he writes that is his own matter value, feeling, likeness,

dislikes. It is doubtful that any other had written such a manner. The matter

comes in his hand, take, their existence and this technique we can ortly get

from Iked a. !

There is a mystery in his poetry. He always choose the apt word iwhich

can reveal the real meaning. His craftsmanship is different from other and we

enjoy this. His poetic method is original having perfect art. His poems are very

spiritual in meaning and there is perfect bound of readers and poet in his poetry

where reader share his feeling, laugh every and all. There is a tragedies as well

as comedy, pathos and humour, sadness and happiness. His diction,

techniques are liked by all. The science in him, the poet in him, as well as
i

philosopher always works and go side by side in his poem. We can see aesthetic-

beauty of Keats, Nature of Words Worth, Philosophy of Browning, seriousness

of Shelley in his poetry. The poetry show the right path of life, spritualitiesl blend

with worldliness. There is definite and exact use of allegory, simile and metaphor

and it stands here with higher standard. It can be said that he is necessary for
i

a New Renaissance and New world civilization and culture devoted tq world

peace.
 172
The charmingness lies in his language as well the metre used
!
by
i

him. He used the traditional meter in a modern form. There is a beautiful inter

mixture of old and new. It can be also said that it becomes perfect in the Hand of
I

experienced, Scientist. The most amazing power is the incidentally as well as

clarity of the language which called metre Haiku

r

"Kazuyosi Ikeda asserts with an emphasis that the true poem,

essentially different from prose should have the beauty of rhythm, as welt as the

beauty of sentiment. In these days many Japanese poets neglect the important

of rhythm or metre in poetry and compose only free verse. He deplores this and

creates poems of fixed from in 7 and 5 syllable meter. This is the traditional

Japanese meter, it is very beautiful and pleasing to the Japanese. The poems

he has written have the same, which were popular in 12 century "The Last of

Heion period" in Japan. It may be noted that the translated poem "done by him"

and in 7 and 5 syllable metre as are the original one. i

i 0
There are three kind of meter which is popularized in Japanese
r ;

culture (1) Tanka (2) Haiku (3) siligoty and this is the skill of this master that he

used all of them in his English poem. He infuses this meter in English is. like so

that it has its origin from English Literature. He attains this metre in ethical

sense judging the evil and good , stirring word, presented in a apt manner. Yet

he used all of three but when he work with sitigoty he depicted with its very

great universally, What ever he wants to teach, he used this form very delightfully

as result it seems to be perfect. Haiku, has a division of 5-7-5 and have glimpse

of nature, these syllable have ab rhyme. In some of haiku we found sarrie word

and other different in 1 and 3 line. He uses hailku in all. Whether in hare or the

woodcutter. The haiku introduced by him is touchy, impressive, deep and

 173
unique. That is why, he, as, result get adequate appreciation from all over the
|
world. He himself said many about these metre mentioned here

"I as a poet, have loving been asserting that poetry, different from prose, should

have the beauty of both sentiments, (spirit) and rhythms (metre) the beduty is

sprit and the beauty of metre are like both wings of a bird, or both wheel of (art,
where a bird or a cart means a poem I

The structure of metres (i) (ii) (iii) mentioned above will be explained in
the following: j

(i) Tanka - A five line poem, the 1st line consisting of 5 syllables, the 2nd line
of 7 Syllables, the 3rd line of 5 syllables the 4th line of 7 syllabus and 5 lirje of 7
i
syllable--------

If one questions me

On the Japanese spirit

I want to answer

It's like wild clerry blossoms

shining in the morning sun

Haiku a three line poem, the 1st line consisting of 5 syllable. The 2nd line

of 7 syllables, and 3rd line of 3 syllable :

Japanese Haiku English Haiku

by Kajuyosi Ikeda by Kajuyosi Ikeda

No-usagi no From a sleep waking

r
i
MezameteMimi ni A hare, with his long ears, hears

Kase Sabisi The lone wind singing

Karigana no Wild geese in the sky

Koe in Nageki to Flying in line, with deep grief

Nazomi are and with great hope, cry.

 174
Azisaiya! A lone hydrangea!

Ouome noKoiWa A girl's heart, falling in) love,

i

Irani izu Turns red in colour.

Sitigotya a four line poems vyhere each line consists of the first part, composed

of 7 syllables and the second part, composed of 5 syllables. In English, it is

called a quartain in the seven and five syllables metre. Sitigotlao rosle and

prospered in the end of Heian period of Japan (The 12th century) and afterward
r
withered.

Japanese Sitigotyo English Sitigotyo

Ka Mosquito
I

Kanonaku Koe no Kabosokute Amosquito is buzzing, his voice js so

thin j

Kanasimimasaru Natuno Yoi That the sadness increases on a

summer's night j
I
Kayowakil -lada, wohitosasino Once approaching me, he bites ijny
ii

delicate. Skin j
l
l
!

Kayumisetunasi Kano Ko Koro The itch conneys to my heart i

r I
his grief of to night." 1 j
j

As we see above translation can be highly applausive, what a minute

j
observe and skill in him is approved! These all metre are used by Ikeda [where

the perfection of asthetic approach in his poetry. These poetry reveals the
i

imagery, teaches us Buddhism, harmonious rhythm that can touch the pore of
|
ever being. He used all of these three Haiku, Tanka sitigotyo in his excellent

poetry for example this simple poem is enough to reveal his poetic technique

where he used Haiku.

1. Dwivedi S.C. & Shubha, Prof. Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda, Poet of Millenium, Page-143-149
 175
A HARE
r

"Surrounded by wild flowers I enjoy a dream;

In the warm daylight of spring, transient in my dream,

I awake from y short sleep; 0 my ears are long;

And I hear the wind singing a sorrowful song."1

These simple word with deep meaning written in haiku that is the speciality of

Kazuyosi Ikeda who declares his poetry have a heart and flesh. Here' I had

presented a living animal as a example but this excellency we can see when he

treat with non living thing also. The music, the rhythm, the melody. The harmony

and the vilaty which we get from great writer, turn the ear with the real meaning

of life. The subjectively and objection in his poetry are matchless.

His real aim of life is to save environment and balance the whole

earth. A tiny heart in every thing which is in this world can be easily understand

because of his language and style. The colloquial language used by him recall

Words Worth as well as Robert Frost. There is very much similarity among

them. Reader can judge him on the base of their own feeling and find close to

him.

This is his greatness that great Scientist as well as poets poetic

technique is for from his contemporaries not only on the ground of

communication with others but also in selection of languages bar from

coarseness, painful, distinguishing ancfvulgollness.

The Rhythm is uniques because of its beauty and music, almost he

uses the rhyme of a and b but on other hand he uses two word in rhyming pair.

The power of eloquence which peep through his excellent poetries are wondering

1. Ibid, Page-9
 176
as C.L, Khatri says "However I personally like structured verse for its musjc, for

it lool like poem, read like poem tell like poem and make you feel like poem.
j
Though I do not negate unstructured verse for all good poems rhympd or
j
unrhymed come out from the depth of the soul and aims at noble values. It is
i
heartening fact the Japanese are deeply rooted in their culture, tradition, myth

and take pride in what they inherited from the tradition despite technological
j
and scientific advancement. To my mind the people of Japan are like; a lily
i
whose root are in soil and fragrance in the air. One of the brightest lilies is
j

Ikeda the fragrance of whose poetry has reached the far end of India."

1. S.C. Dwivedi, "Tiliksa" 2002, Page-37

 I

CHAPTER V

The Poet as Environmentalist: The Poetic and Environment

Philosophy of Wordsworth, Frost and Ikeda |

The Science of religion asks question; Have you grown spiritually.

i
!
We go to church, mosque, gurudwara and temple and perform rituals there.
I

These are welcome, but only if they ask this question and get a positive arjswer;

Have I grown spiritually thereby? All values unfold as a by-product of spiritual

i

growth. Then alone is religion valid when it educates us to do our duty in a spirit

of service and dedication. When you plant a sapling, you put water and manure,

and you watch; you want to see the plant growing it had two leaves first non it is

gradually growing with flowers and fruit. In the case of human and,religion, we

have two leaves but after fifty years, there are the same two leaves.

Man is the centre of all values; money has value, only with respect

to human heeds, with respect to his or her creature comforts; nothing in the
j
i

world comparable to the divinity hidden within a human being. When th^ mind
I

becomes pure, it becomes concentrated, capable of realising the subtlest truth.

It is every body’s privilege. We have the capacity; Only we have not turned our

attention towards it. The science we need today - the science of human growth,

development and fulfilment. This is therdemand of the environmentalist^ They

I
give us a science of human growth out of which all values automatically

spontaneously, as its by product. So in their education, they have introduce this

idea that a well educated person is one who has grown spiritually even a little,

who has manifested even a little of the divine spark within. It is the question
 178

understanding the development of science from physical nature to human nature

that took place in universe from very ancient times. We understood from the

very beginning that values comes not from beholding things or physical nature,

but from the depth of human nature. Values do not come from trees or earth,

it comes from the depth of the human spirit by wisely manipulating the external

nature, human life and work and inner human relations, '

The quality of the school of Environmentalist demands the merger

of human nature with Nature. It should not be understood in such a manner that

these poets emphasis the pattern back to nature or there life is of primitive
r

style. It is a call for promoting human welfare in a manner that would not

dangerous for other life. The base of theme on which environmentalist stress is

not for leading good life for fifty years, but thousand of year and furthermore.

The continuous degrading of the human environment has become a major

contemporary problem in all parts of the world. Now the question rises here that

what we actually mean by environment, is everything that surrounds, a plant, or

animal or human being and affect the way it grow.* Three major things in

environment is air water and soil. There is a continuous changes within them

interrelation with living things and living thing turn, accordingly. This balance

takes year by year, so one effected other means affected environment going

on the way of devastation. The world will be in a form of devoid when the

disturbing circle will be happen constantly. It should be foreboded by us.

i

A simple example can be stated here, the one third of the water and covered

plant, play important role to maintain the fundamental, biological and ecological

balance. Man attracted by it because of many reason like adventure, food,

 179
trade, commerce, industry and recreatibn. If we use it in balanced way there is

no problem. But the problem stand when men use it as a disposed of wastes

which too much harmful for ourselves. Yet men is not understanding and still

there is a future plan, only to pollute our sea and concernings, the way we are

polluting our marine environment is shameful.

Whenever we watch T.V. there is a programme on Environment there

is such a amazing slogan at this always shown

"cKft "^FT ^TT fTTCT sjyk FPTT 3 'qpft ;

It means that how much this problem is embroiled, the mind of humanibeing

we should be ready for this exigence. We are only spending our time in
r ■

exhilaration. There should be a ensure effort to come out from this problem.
}

If we see from the very starting of the age, when we come across to

our vedic era, we are very much enchanted that they respect the term good

environment. This is clear here by this consummate example that in Mahabarat

when Pandav Putra were in the forest than Dharmraj Yudhisthir emphasize on

this point before them that they should not stay in a one forest for long time

because the basic of the forest runs on devour and devourer. If they stay long
j

there, will break the rule which will create a problem. From the ancient time,

we are very much conscious of our environment. A deeper understanding prevail

during the Vedic period when Prakriti and Purush (Nature and Mankind) were

regarded as inseperatble, interconnecfed and interdepends on each otfier, A

better perception of environment built on environmental concern in the Vedas,

Smiriti, Upnishad, Puran, Epic, Bible, Kuran etc.

in our country, the spirit of unity lies in the people whether they are
 180
Hindu, Muslim or any other religion. We see that when our India Was not

independent the whole reign was in the hand of British government, tine rule
]

and regulation were laid on us by them, it is not going to extend that system of

breathing is also regulated by them, what a spiritual system was that? and how
I

some leader sacrifice themselves and came up with the term independent.

At that time it was not matter of caste, creed and sex, and today we are enjoying

that, Why I want or write this thing. Behind this one gesture what is following in

me and that is social environmental problem, which is based on community.

Many problems stand because of this and we forget our creator, the God.

He has not done any kind of difference? Then how can? what the reason behind

this? God is one this is true with the logic base. We should not give pain to any

body and the peace is the fundamental thing to have a pure life. So why^we are

becoming ravan type people. This show us our lack of intelligence. The

indiscriminate deed we are creating, lacking the breeze of environment. A healthy

environment consist of many things, create some constructive thinking, but no,

we are only lacking goodness and gaining the worst. ;

Whenever we open the news paper every where trouble some news
I

scattered on the paper. The turmoil take place always. The term peace is like a

imaginary in today life whether in a short system like family or large as country.

Why it is happening? The answer is floating within as but we are not able to

catch it, because we have no intense feeling. We are searching pedce out

side but reality is this that It lies in our self only. What a paradoxical matter, but

it is true. Now no body is a keen aspirer' for peace only some of' them.

The large mass of people avoiding and not giving favour to their duty we should

awake ourself and create a healthy environment. A surrounding should be such

 181

that once's liberty happiness gay feelings should not be crashed by any one.

We are planning for Atomic system but in wrong direction. Every

thing have a two view. So why should we choose a bad one. Our poet and

Noble Nominee Pro Kazuyosi who is,a man of modern era has written too

much. What a lovely feeling lying in him. He sees the whole world in one county

and he wants to spread the message of happiness, love, spirituality, unity,

brotherhood etc. Yet he is a man of Japan, he is a man of universe.

Today we are deracintaing the whole eco system, whether its (matter

of forest or air pollution, Why we are doing this determent deed can't understand

by our smart mind. We are functioning only for our self and polluting each area.

When we go on road every where pollution is standing with its red nails and

tooth, we are devastating whole environment and not thinking how to combat

pollution maintain the standard of human environment? The 20th Century has

that of rapid progress of civilization and at the same time, the century of war
r 1

and slaughter. People has never so strongly yearned for the peace of the world

as in this. We should have deep remorse for the miserable history of the 20th
I

Century and endeavour to built paradise on earth, full of love peace and place

in the new Millennium. j

Now we will discuss the Wordsworth as an environmentalist in

elaborated form. There is a much emphasis on humanism in Romantic era.

The imagination is too much stressed that other part of the poetry is fully ignored.
i

But we can understand it by keeping the social background in ou; mind

continuously. The material system was increasing because of Industries

Revolution. In his poem "The world is too much with us" Wordsworth says that
r (

we are always busy and running after the materialistic of life, loosing our spiritual
 182
power by devoting all our time and energy for wealth, have no kinship with the
i
beautiful object of nature. We see in the romantic poets, the horror of the social,
i

moral and ecological degradation that had rooted in the Industries Revolution.

"The world is too much with us; Late and soon,

Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;

Little we see in nature that is outs;

We have given our hearts away, a son did boon

This sea that bares her bosom to the moon;

The wind that will be howling at all hours;

And are up-gathered now like sleeping flower;

For this for everything, we are out of time;

It moves us not Great God! I'd rather be

A pagan suckled in a creed out work;

So might! standing on this pleasant Lea,

Have glimpses that would make one less forlon;

Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;

Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn."1

r (

As we know that the Neo-classical 18th century poetry is the means

of aristocratic poetry, which is centralized on a town people. The urban class

j

was fully shined in it and in Romantic poem there is little corner a for them,; they

give a high place to rural and simple people. This poetry emphasises on

sensuousness, imagination and passion. It is wrong to say that this sentiment

are not shown in 18th century but it is in aesthetic manner. It rearranged more

balanced because they paid more attention through their philosophy and

common aspect of life. So it have its own special significance.

 183

But there is not only desire to escape from reality but also a struggle

against this desire to escape. Wordsworth separated himself from jsocial

I

problem and rejoice himself with surrounding of nature. Wordsworth was the
i

first great poet to lead this revolt consciously with a will. His argument may not

be correct but if we judge it on the base of proper historical perception we can

understand its authentic value. It is the poetry of man and poetry of Nature. He
intermingled to establish the breezy environmental. Generally poets begin with
the primary affection and nature is secondly thought. But in the case of
Wordsworth, the love of Nature came first and even when the love of man pame,
r 1
it is interwoven with Nature's influence. He describes the simple Human
thoughts, very much close to Nature because they are pure being in the eyes of
Wordsworth. He selects many characters from rural side. j
]
Yet the climate, soil, language, custom all different but thefe is a
universal appeal; Like all great poets of the Wordsworth Worth is the primarily
the poet of man. In the Preface to the 1809. He declared why he choose incident
and situation from common life :

"Ode to the duty", was composed by Wordsworth in 1805. The

Centra! Idea of the poem is the concept of duty, what a beautiful idea is drawn
by the great pact Wordsworth which reveals his preoccupation for the peace,
calm and quitness of atmosphere

"Stern daughter of the voice of God,

O Duty if that name thou love r

Which art a light to guide, a rod

To check, the erring and reprove

Thou, who art victory and law

When empty terrors overawe.

From vain temptation dast set free

and Calm'st the weary strife of Frail humanity."1

1. Selected Poem Wordsworth, Page-226

 184
I think that it is time now that we should be alert about ouri duty.

Because it can only balance our life. Today our duty is to free whole universe

from pollution. The great Wordsworth wants to awake the conscious of human

being to understand real duty. Did Wordsowrth abandon this outlook when he

was writing his best poem about man and nature? The answer is not certain we

are not thinking about this problem. We are only going through diversity. He

also gives the answer behind this. Wordsworth knows the real pleasure lie in
r 1
the lap and closeness of Nature that why he choose almost his character who

are near to nature have a quality of simplicity plainess, kind hearted etc!

This can be true from many of his poems. When we read his poetry.

"The Solitary Reaper" here we notice that when ever he choose character he

realized us that a man who is very near to nature have a complencent in their

life. They have no complain for their destiny in "Resolution and independence"

"While he was talking, thus, he only place

The old Man's shape and speech all troubles me.

In my mind's eye I seemed to see him pace

About the weary moors continually

r
Wandering about alone and silently.

While I these thoughts within myself pursued.

He, having made a pause; the same discourse renewed."1

Wordsoworth was very much in favour of the with poor. Capitalism

has ruined the peasantry system. It was damned situation for the lower class

people. The small independent farmers are being pauperized. Wordsworth

saw the decay of the morality in whole nation.

1. Selected Poem of Wrodsworth, Page -131

F
 185
Here it can be said that Wordsworth proclaim that morality in

simplicity that is not correct. But it is a fact that at particular time dissatisfaction

was increased, They are helpless, yet they were but they cant lead their moral

life smoothly. The permutation was increasing in perniciousness in whole society,

r

His poetry is an progressive as the novel of Tolstoy who voiced as Similar

protest against Russian Capitalism. The owner of capitals throw the burden of

social change on protestriat class, and ruined the whole form of society and

ultimately a ecological disaster takes place.

Wordsworth did not do any kind of partiality with landlord, landbwner

and capitalist. If we examine his theme, from any of Wordsworth famous poem

on human life for example "The Throne, The sailor's Mother Ruth Michael, we

find ourself in the presence of poverty, crime insanity ruined innocence, totfuring

hope, solitary anguish even despair.

"The power that surprised him in tramp and beggar and out c^t
r >

women was not the thing that Godwin valued in man. It was feeling, not reason

that Wordsworth form when he groped to the bottom. The elementary feelings

the essential passion of the heart are the purest and simplest he found in humble

and rustic life."1 •

By spreading of Industrial system which create and produce many

kind of changes. Now there is decay of the domestic affection, among the'lower

order of the society. What he felt for his surrounding he want to share It with

middle class family. We all know the Wordsworth became great poet after

separating himself from his great belief in French Revolution, Wordsworth was
i

astonished very much after the application of French Revolution. He Icjst his
F

1. DArbishire Helen, "The Poet Wordsworth, Oxford University Press, London,

1950, Page 29
 186 ;

faith in the French Revolution as a political creed. But its impact influenced his

mind. The Revolution humanized his soul and built him into a poet of man. (Every
i
one knows his lineabout the Revolution. i
i
i

Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive i

But to be young was very heaven!- Oh! timesl ;

r ,

One thing is exploit in this that what really French revolution is now

changed. Actually Wordsworth was very a much excited when he think so that

now there will be the reign of liberty. Fraternity Equality brotherhood. This joy

and hopefulness of the season turned into a charming benevolence which was

tasted by him with us relishness. At that time he was student. Further the capitalist
j

alliance with workers and peasant to throw the system Feudal. Later they1 use
2 it

by then no mean. So austen deed paid by worker class. Napoleon show interest

with capitalist. The Wordsworth was very much hurt of this concoct, "infront it
i

looks the favourable view but in depth there was another policy. Yet it was illusion

in sense of social will.

r

"On pleasant exercise of hope and joy

For mighty were the auxiliars which then stood

Upon an side, we who were strong in love!

Bliss was it in that down to alive"2

Here it can be seen that Wordsworth wants to say that one because

of revolution there will be great change and because of this there will change in

environment also. The real meaning, equality liberty and fraternity is a abstained .

The Revolutioner, Peasant, farmer, peasant farmer and the excited

people raised cries for liberty, Equality, Fraternity. The Revolution have their

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-131

2. Ibid
 187
ardent admirer every where and also was feeling of humanity. But the!other

side when every power was centralised in the hand of landlords. He was
i

shocked. He did not advocates to achieve any one by the means of violence,

he has very much with down trodden of the society. At this time he came in

contract to Godwin and very much influenced by his view, he give emphasis on

personal development against the conception of French Revolution. Rousseau

and Goodwin were denounced the political institution like him. Wordsworth also
r 1
think that best education can be get the child only in the natural surrounding, it

can be safely argued that he composed. Nature poetry only for the benefit of

human being. Wordsworth become a philosophical poet whose ultimate theme

was not Nature but the heart of man. The poetry of man took great development

in the poetry of Nature, if we see his poetry we found that his creed of love of

for nature is interwoven with Man's love.

Wordsworth was global environmental, at that time he was very much

afraid when he see the increasing of the society in place of natural aspect, he

was innate lover of Natural with touch of human soul. He was inspirerfor man's
spirituality, should be environment, is marvellous when there will be no avjarice,

no showness of authority and man help each other, no doubt it will be glowing
r I

environment.

Now a days when ever we raises our eyes around our surrounding

what we see that the human being are proclaiming for themselves. He is

absolute popinjay. He is bigot enough to fit himself in any situation. He just want

that all the condition should be according to him and want to his popularity.

The human being are restless in present. He wants everything responding to

him. Here Wordsworth poetry refine these pupils. He say that the men should

be fit himself in his every condition. He should be not many, selfish or roisterer.

He emphasis of the sanative environment. He gain it with the help of the nature.
 188
The French revolution taught Wordsworth that every human being, can atjain by

his inner growth.

In his country, on the roadsm, he came in contact with the hurViblest

human being. Their strength and energy surprised him.

What Rousseau talked about the dignity of peasant that transformed

I
in Wordsworth into the simplicity of rustic like-Michael Redlars, beggars etc

because the natural surrounding are like a part of life of for them they; direct

influenced by Nature. He himself influenced by nature. In his poem. " The table
r *1
turned" he asked to his friend to leave the book and turn to nature. He denounce

bookish knowledge and eagerlessly ask his friend to go back to nature!:

"Up! Up my friend and quit your book',

Or surely You'll grow double;

Up! Up! my Friend and clear your books;

Why all this toil and trouble?

The sun, above the mountains head,

A freshing lustre mellow.

Through all the long green field has spread

His first sweet evening yellow

Books!, tis a dull and endless style:

Come, hear the woodland linnet

How sweet his music! on my life

There's more of wisdom in it"1

I

He seemed to be great poet when he writes something for! down

I

trodden. The term humanity can be revealed when he depicts these character
i
i
in his poetry. !
i
i

The poet show that how the human mind developed through senses.

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-202 I

I
I
 189 ;

The poet describe countless natural scenes, not for entertainment but fpr what

his mind could earn through concentration, to whom he afforded in his poetry

making "Solitary Reaper" he was with his dear sister Dortohy and Coliridge he

saw a girl who was reaping the corn and singing herself. It was melahcholy
!
i

song but also a luminous type and matchless. I want to discuss that very line

which is very much helpful to know the Wordsworth theme as an environmentalist.

"Will no one tell me what she sing?

Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow

For old, unhappy far aff thing,

And battles long ago;

Or it is some more humble lay

Familiar matter of today?

Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain

That has been and may be again?

What e'er the theme, the Maiden sang

As if her song could have no ending;

I saw her singing at her work r

And o'er the sickle bending

I listened, Motionless and still

And, as I mounted up the hill

The music in my heart I bore,

Long after it was heard no more."

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-169

 190
Here Wordsworth describe, that simple women is singing. He thinks that she

perhaps stating that song which treats some ancient sad event, or only battle

that fought long ago, at last she is very sad that something infest in the future.

May be this endue in her that this should be inglorious event, will take place in

future and inroad the environment. This anticipated by Wordsworth that what
I
she is singing." Here it expressed that Wordsworth a keen poet gain special

feeling, proved him a, great environmentalist. What does Wordsworth think? If

he would live in this era when there is slogan in all over the world /'Save

Environment?" It was already forestall by Wordsworth. This attitude we dan get

from his poetry. ,

p

Really he was a man's poet, writes for the progress for human being.

There is gravity in his poetry which give some message to readers. He

interconnected the Human nature to Nature.

The other sonnet in which he was dedicated to national independence

I Ci

and liberty. In this sonnet he addresses to Milton and wishes that Milton were

living in England at that hour because it become a marsh of bad smelling and

standing water. Their indiscriminately deeds were increased, do all bad work

only to satisfy their own wishes and desires. They have extremely become money

minded. They need sustain. The real aim of soul is repealed. Now they are like

arbitrary who can do anything for the sake of their own satisfaction. Thp poet
c
> i

means that the people of England have become selfish. Human sympathy is out
i
from them. The ancient English heritage of spiritual calm is gone from there.

Milton! thout should'st be living at this hour:

England hath need of thee: she is a fen

Of stagnant waters; altar, sword, and pen

 191
Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower,

Have forfeited their ancient English dower

Of inward happiness, We are selfish men;

Oh! raise us up, return to us again;

And give us manner, virtue, freedom, power.

They sou! was like a Star, and dwelt apart;

Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea;

Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,

So didst thou travel on life's common way,

In cheerful godliness, and yet thy heart.

r

The lowist duties on herself did lay"1

When Wordsworth returned from France in 1802 he found that pupils

of England have foreboded their glory and It is igominy ignoring against the

laminating character of England. The vice defeated virtue. Now they become a

cut-throat selfish, only destruction was there. The environment of England which

was illumine by its magnificence history, glooming, became the subject of pining.
i
i
He addresses the great soul of Milton who was of stereotyped character, he

thinks that If Milton would returned, he could change the whole England,from

stem to slern. He can be stirrers for those people who were surrounded by

stinginess. Here Wordshowrth reveals himself as a great environmentalist. He

was much shocked when he saw that the whole environment is stinking because

of the rabies who are scattered all over the England, Earlier they were the pupil

of firm determined, kind, loving and now they are becoming sprite for the
I
money. They want to get their goal ravishingly. They deride each other and this

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-182

 192
way they are polluting the environment. Now they are the part of problem. Milton,

a consummate personality, can vanish the dowdily efforts and situation,

spreading like a epidemic all over the England. The doxy of Milton can relive

problem of the England can demulcent Milton. He recalls him who, brought him
i

up, from the stagnment swire, the Thunder clap of Milton transcend therrt from

ulcerous environment. Wordsworth emphasis on men nature, should be

progressive, in the sense of sonorousness. So Milton is like a seraph who can

relive from sordid environment, He can be releaser for following pollution, illumine

the bating peace of Environment. r ;

The poem is one of the most powerful sonnets of Wordsworth!. The

two distinct element of theme. First at a criticism of contemporary English life

and a glowing tribute to Milton. The contemporary society of Englancj was

standing on the path of disaster, when men are not recognizing as a meri but

there is blend of satan. There is a socio economic development in human

kind, supporting the term "materialistic", crushed environment emerged, Which

was dabbed in hell. This envoke in Wordsworth because of his environmentalist

instinct.

The description of Nature in his different poetry is amazing.

It enlighted his pupils because in hisr poetry there is picturesque quality

presented before the reader and they rejoice it. This evidence quality is only in

Wordsworth who attached with nature in such a manner that creates ecstasy

and shower of healthy Environment. Today when human race is destroying the

Nature surrounding in the name of civilization. The pious poems can encourage

them and stop them from doing so. ;

In my view the day will come when human being will realize this fact
 193
after devastating the greenery of universe. Then it will be like a golden dream

and ashamed on deed of that he will think how dare they do it so.

"Thus fares it still in our decay

And yet the wiser mind

Mourns less for what age takes away

Than what it leaves behind"1

These lines occur from his poetry "The fountain"," A conversation".

It is in the form of conversation between the poet and Mathew here whien he

look natural fountain, he thinks that he feel it in the youth but at this he is a old

man of seventy two, and soon his eyes were filled with tears, than poet told that

human nature never satisfied in present Either they think of their happy past or

of future, but in second stanza he depicted the bird, who can start her song of
i

joy when she want, stop it when she chooses. They never take a foolish strife

from nature and thus they enjoy both i.e. youth and old age.

But the human being loaded by their desire and because of desires

they stand against the nature and thus they have a unhappy life .in the

comparison with that trivival bird

"With Nature never do they wage

A foolish strife, they see

A happy youth and their old age

Is beautiful and free

But we are pressed by heavy law;

and often-glad no more,

We were in face of joy because

We have been glad of yore."2

What a overlook of Wordsworth in the stream of Modern erd when

every thing is changing in wrong direction weather in human relationship or

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-216r
2. Ibid
 194r

interlink of human and Nature. The longing of the people destroy both the global

brotherhood and the greenery breeze of beautiful environment. The conflict is

at both side whether what is going inside or the destruction of the world. Human

being is at this time is thinking that he is a great gainer but obviously he is a

loser because now they subber. Today because of his overfoolishes. They are

destroying each and every thing. The Wordsworth do comes before us a

Philanthrope, whenever the poetry is read by the modern reader the essence

of the poetry evokes the reality that how much they are malice. Here the

description of the Earth fill the joy of ecstasy :

"Soon as gentle breeze bring

News of winters vanishing,

And the children build their bowers

Sticking Lerchief plot of mould

All about with full blown flowers,

Thick as sheep in Shepherd's fold;

With the proudest their out there,

Mantling in the tiny square."1

i

I he place ot mother is glorified in every religion and Wordsworth

compares nature with mother. Such a beautiful imagination has Words worth.

What is happening today? We are too malicious and we are smart enough to

cut out nature for our selfishness. Really modern man is malcotent. He never

gets fulfilled with what he has. He wants more and more which create a great

catastrophe, at present, a question with no answer.

I

He always emphasises man should be spiritual and because of this

speciality there will be great calmness every where which is the major source
I

of happiness It will automatically convert in profound environment.

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-78
 195

As he says in his "Ode to duty" that it is a poetry concerning with

duty Poet wants to address the human being that what is the real duly, j
i
He resemble God in Nature which clarifies that how great
I
environmentalist he was! He want to departed the mind of the chump who denied
from their real duties and destroying the peace of nature which is givjen by

Almighty, They desecrating the society. This theory may be on modern era
j
people, they should know the real definition of duty. He wants to demolish the

arbitrary, which is spreading like a epidemic in our society. He want to awake

the sleeping soul to enline, it can help the society. He deifys nature. What was
i
the real outlook in Wordsworth when he was writing this poem. In my view he
I
wanted to rejoin all virtue regarding human being to overcome as a good society

and having a calm environment. j

"Wordsworth had never any wish to escape from the common pejace of

his life. He accepted them all and viewed them with a calmness and cqurage

that could never be shaken." j

I

The "Ode to duty" is obviously a landmark in the series of his poetry.

i
Here Duty is personified as the daughter of the voice of god, she is borrji from

conscience, it illumines our path and guides us to do the right thing. Her hopes

and aspiration, no more guided by restless desire, but controlled by fixed line

of conduct. Man can understand his repose duty.

r
"Through no disturbance of my soul

Or strong compunction in me wrought

I supplicate for thy control;

But in the quitness of thought;

Me the uncharted freedom lines;

I feel that weight of chance desires;

My hopes no more must change their name,

I long for a repose that ever is the same"

i

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-221

 196

Man should be aware of his real duty, and turn the polluted environment in

breezy atmosphere.

The beautiful lines in which he depict nature as Divine himself

"Pansies, lilies, kingcups, daisies,

Let them live upon their praises;

Long as there's a sun that sets,

Primroses will have their glory;

Longas there are violets,

They will have a place in story;

There's a flower that shall be mine,

'Tis the little Celandine.

Eyes for some men travel far

For the finding of a star;

r

Up and down the heavens they go,

Men that keep a mighty rout!

I'am as great as they, I trow,

Since the day I found thee out,

Little Flower!- I'll make a stir,

Like & sage astronomer."2

This beautiful stanza bring the spotless environment, which has

I

quality of respirability. It encourage us from inner sense and imbibes us with its

calmity. The restless environment, can be seen every can get smooth touch
i
i
after reading this poetry. Poet emphasis on the Divine power, its existence

was felt by poet by the evening silence the devine power. It charges both nature

and human nature. The poet hears the sea making gentle sound continually.
I

He feels the presence of immortal spirit" Thus Wordsworth here feels that a

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-

 197

beautiful scene can nourish the mind of Poor spirited people who are leading
!
their way aimlessly and proceeding toward turmoil. Nature can only change the

phase of life and give the pleasant atmosphere.

Man are growing with their irresponsibility. They are doing such a

malice deed which is irremissible. The day will come when nature will not forgive

them. Because of their doubling view. The distress condition which is increasing,
i

will destroy the whole. Man should awake because the soul and God who is
!

always in us want calmity, the quietness, pleasantness, loveliness. All can

gained if the inner conscious is awake. We can built our healthy environment if

there is a firm determination.

The next character presented by Wordsworth "Michael1 w,ho is a

!

nice man constantly wandering, knows the feeling of mountain and valley.
i

"Michael's whole life has been work; a contending a making iri either

maintenance or furtherance, an active partnership in a universe, fiuman

I

or non human, that is pervaded by work, and where only work belongs."

Michael is a simple tale of human suffering. It is noticeable that

Wordsworth poems of rustic life generally deal with the simplest and most primary

of all. The bound between parents and children. In Michael nature) is not
!

something but by the situation of human itself Michael, had a special importance

in Wordsworth works life for it mark the stage when Michael pure passion was
r

from nature which create sublimity in his character

"and think

(At random and imperfectly indeed)"

On man, the heart of man and human life"1

The whole introductory passages serve to make of Michael a

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-42

 198
representative of man struggle and man consciousness. He presented

mountain hills etc. which are surrounded, gives him strength presented

a view of Adam who is not living in paradise but in nature. In world where

every man built up his laws to fix his life style Michael stand up by the

heroic qualities which he gain in the nature. Michael suggests to us how

best we maintain our lives of this mystical universe and how man himself

gives significance and value of the world, the almighty presented us.

The story of the poem can be easily told. Michael an old shepherd

•and his wife lived in a remote part of lake rustic, have one son, luke. whom they

love by their whoie heart, Michael fall in some financial problem so he sent his

son London in order to maintain his property. It is clear that the story touches

on loss and suffering. But the town life where people are avoiding their moral

deeds, because of the revolution they are going back to materialism to' make

themselves more prosperous. Soto secure their future they are doing all which

is absurd. Some thing happened with luke also he influenced by disastrous

whirlpool. Here Wordsworth once more comes before us that the spirituality,
* r

we can get only with the help.of Nature the nature has a healing power, so

soothing power loving power etc, Wordsoworth has strength and sought power,

to let us feel the simple primary human affection and duties. It deals With the

simplest and primary of all the bond between father and son

"Thus livii .g on through such a length of years,

The Shepherd, if he loved himself must needs.

Have loved he Helpmate; but to Michael's heart 1

This son of his old age was yet more dear'

Less from instinctive tenderness, the same

Fond spirit that blindly work in the blood of alH

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-46 ff :
 199

Here Wordsworth presents Michael as a Adam and Eve as his wife

has also have Homer touch the wife, have only one child' presented as a

successor of Michael ;
r

The whole cottage is described as a world itself. In which these figure

are playing their noble role because of the boon of Nature.

"Down from the ceiling, by the chimney's edge,

That is our ancient uncount country style

With huge and black projection overbrowed

Large space beneath, as duty as the light

Of day grew dim the House wife hung a lamp;

An aged untensil, which had performed

Service beyond all others of its kind."1

They have a sweet hope and sweet surrounding but because of

some financial problem they decide the Luke to go to city. Michael knows in his

heart that decision can only destroy their happiness and hope her wife also

know this there is a biblical strength

"Thou must not go

we have no other Child but thee to lose

Now to remember do not go away,

For it thou leave father he will die."2

Now the Wordsworth denounced the city life because he believes in

the existence of God in Nature surrounding, which is fully abandoned by the city

man. The man has no courage, pity, love sympathy only they are beyond

materialism and have continuous hatefulness in themselves.

They knew luke not come in touch. It was like a contagiousness. He

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-45

2. Selected Poem Wordsowrth Page-51
 200
also did a deed, that he had to hide himself in a European Country. Here

Wordsworth emphasises on this that a lad, when he was leading natural life it

was full of harmony and peace. But as he went to city, there, he himself liked

the town people he also put the cart before the horse. Now he was changed.

His magnified qualities were despair in him and became a carl. The environment

very much influenced the people.

"A good report did from their Kinsman come

Of Luke and his well doing; andrthe Boy

Wrote loving letters, full the wonder news

Which as the Housewife phrased it, were throughout

"The Prettiest letters, that ever seen"

Both parents read them with rejoining hearts

So, many .months passed on and once again

The shepherd went about his about his daily work

With confident and cheerful thoughts; and now

Sometimes when he could find a leisure hour.

He to the valley took his way, and there

Wrought at the Sheepfold. Meantime Luke began.

So slacken in his duty, and, at length.

He in the dissolute city gave himself

To evil course; ignominy and shame.

Fell on him, so that he was driven at last

To seek a hiding place beyond the seas," 2

The poem beautifully depict the inner conflict of the man and his world of

action The human values and hopes cling with situation in which they exist.

In some of his poem he treated like Rabindra Nath Tagore, Kalidas when

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-55-56

 201

he showed the ardent iove for Nature. When we come across his poem ft is like

axioms fell by all explicitly. He was a great Environmentalist Wordsworth says

consistently that the intermixture of Nature in man made him the moral teacher.

In the "Tintenn Abhey" he admits distinctly the dissolutability of round ocean

the living air and blue sky with the mind-of nature.

"The beautio.us Form.

Through a kjng absence, have not been to me.

As is a landscape to a blind man's eye;

But oft, in lonely rooms, and mid the din

Of town and cities, I have owed to them.

In hour of weariness, sensations sweet,

Felt in the blood and felt along the heart;

And passing into my purer mind

With tranquil restoration feeling too
Of unremembered pleasure: Such perhaps,
As have, no slight or trivival influence
r

On that best portion, of a good man's life

His little nameless, unremebered acis

of Kindness and of love. Nor less, I trust

To them I rViay owned another gift

Of aspect more sublime; that blessed mood,

In which the burthen of the mystery,

In which the heavy and weary weight

Of all this unintelligible world

Is lightened, that serve and blessed mood"1

He explains there that this existence of God in nature, is no different

in the consciousness of man and nature. Tintern Abbey's diffusive sense of

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-12/

 202

ecstasy. Yet those beauteous form of Nature are not as useless as landscape

to a blindman's eye. He emphasises that Nature is as a comforter. One of the

major themes in Wordsworth is the healing influence of Nature. Nature has

soothing touch of tranquillity and restores it in his inner peace. But one who get

the joy from Nature is not merely instant. It is a source of perpetual joy as in the

poem "Daffodils.".

"I wondered lonely as a cloud

That float on high o'ervales and hills

When all at once, I saw a crowd

A host of golden Daffodls."1

Here also the poet says that what ever he is in a vacant or defensive

mood the daffodis flashes upon his inward eyes. ;

"This implication is in no way lessened by the poets suggestion that

these mystical states may be due to the beautious form of Nature.

"Nor less, I trust

To them I may have owed another gift

Of aspect more subline"2

It is in Tintern Abbey that we see for the first time Wordsworth as 'a

worshipper of nature.1 2"It3is not the first poem to show his sense of the importance

of natural surroundings-other poems show his first-hand knowledge of country

fife, with its beauties and hardships. But it is Tintern Abbey that shows for the

first time his romantic passion for nature, and in which he gives us highly

emotional descriptions of the effects of the outer world upon his own inner self;

this is the first poem in which he used, with deep feeling, phrases like 'a

worshipper of nature', and speaks of 'the deeper zeal of holier love' that he

feels for nature."

1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-

2. Radar Melvin, "Wordsworth - A Philosphical Approach, Oxford University1
Press, London 1967, Page 156-57
3. Drabble Margret, Wordsworth (Evans Brothers Limited/London, 1968), Page-
71-72
 203
The lines written above "Tintern Abbey" is one. In it Words Worth

clearly reveals his mysticism and Pantheism.

He created a myth about himself and built a philosophy around his myth.

The whole poetry tells that sweet sensation comes from nature not from the

human society. Nature is revealed before us as a moral teacher. Morality is the

virtue from which men can earn other goodness because of that goodness he

can built a beautiful society which has a celestial beauty and calmness

Wordsworth wants the humanity as werll as green spreading all over the world.

He was a great environmentalist who thinks many things which can be the source

of good and beautiful environment.

Nature loved by Wordsworth is not correct. He loves peace existing

in it Peace which can be describe by Yoga. The Yoga pretend mind from

wrong direction the mind can get its ecstacy. Dhyana is essential forgetting.

His state which can get only from the peace, and peace he found in Nature. The

importance is of peace not of nature. Nature which is full of noise arjd

restlessness, Wordsworth does not like that.

He was poet who write only for man. Besides this he wants man can

rise himself on the moral and spiritual base. By living a life of simplicity in the

lap of nature. He preaches us that human life is worth living. Evil is only a interrupt

towards good. The evil of life, result of selfishness, guilt etc can produce only dirty

thoughts. Nature is the great source of fortitude, moral strength and Divine

providence. The Wordsworth poetry distinguishes the poet from the man of

science, what he comply is the compendium of our existence, our natural and

honourable heritage. Today the science is spreading in disobliged manner. The

propertied classes used it by narrow selfish. Our Dhartimata is enduring the

loose, and falable deeds of the human sources. It should be also clear that
 204
Wordsworth was not in against the science but he wants that there should be a
r

universal peace, and useful in right direction with the help of this. So the scientist

should come up from foul means and think of man and value of liberty.

Scientist and Poet aims are same. They have to unmask the realities

of life today scientist are, developing system on which the universe can save

from the path of discrimination.

The principle of nature is swerve because, of self interest, of human

being. This strikes fear in mind. The great scientists have a poet in their heart

which seeks for truth as well as the poet should be the scientist capable to

spread the message of truth. Again we can say by the example of the sonnet

of Words Worth. "The world is too much with us", this sonet the base of

materialistic in modern life draws the p'oet back from the ever of illusion and

reality laid in him by his youth that the real happiness lies in healthy environment.

In his poetry "Nature has reasserted her dominion over the work of

all the multitude of men and in the early clearness the behold. The great city ag

stearling imagined it on his dying bed" not as full of noise and dust and confusion.

But as something silent, grand-and everlasting." 1

The similarities which we can see in this American poet with English

poet Wordsworth that they both are great environmentalist. They both seek for

nature as well as global environment. They both are the poet of men. They write

for human welfare, emphasize on corrigendum. They both correlate man with

nature. In the words of Radicliffee James Squires "Frost is a poet not because
r

he has lived on the farm, but because he speaks to man about man."2

He is a significant defender of Humanism. He emphasis on the

nobility of human being and like Wordsworth he also comply that humanism is

1. Mures, F.W.M. "Wordsworth, Macmillian &Co. London, 1912, Page-12

2. Squire, Radclif James, "The Major theme of Robert Frost, An. Arbour; Unversity
of Michigan Press, 1963
 205

inseparable from the natural order of the world and impossible outside Of it.

Frost is of the idea that this yvorld is emerged according the will of

human being, this universe is self be gotten. Modern man is leading an

Ambiguous life. There is a permanent conflict lies in his mind. The ambient in

which he is living, is amazing. The science has done some miracles in human

life. Modern man confronts a clash between his feeling sensation emotion, values

purposes. He wants everything amazine which gives a different problem.

He seeks in his poetry a powerful means for stasis "a momentary stay against

confusion. He thinks that science is a malefic. It is Netting the environment which

is a fundamental issue for flourished humanity. His poetry has a permanent

question what is man. Yet it is accepted here that the old concept of man is not

proceeding in this modern era. This profound question always goes side by
r

side in his poetry. He writes his poetry for the welfare of human being and

healthy environment. He arranges in his poetry that how a man's life can be

sustained, yet man is propounding towards aloofness, disappointment, and

illusion. There is a lack of belief in human being which is worsting the condition

of good environment. The world of Frost poetry is the world we live in.

Frost learned from Emerson the necessity of communication with our.

Environment, a natural and original relation to the universe, and the significant

of a physical labour.

"A Masque of Mercy (1947)" expresses the theme that the difficulties of

the human serve as a trial ground for the progress of the human soul.

Frost insist that man should not give way to fear that life is of no avail. One

should work hard with courage and feel of faith whatever work is given in his

hand
 206

"Frost's latest comment on man's position are made in Masque of

Mercy" 1

A Masque of Reason seeks to get a straight answer from God for

his bewildering treatment of job and the rest of the human races. It is a dramatic

and didactic poem on a large scale and is concerned with man's relation to

God.

Most of his poetry fine to the photographic description which other

give dark and dismal position. Frost was of this view man himself has designed

his environment. It is his duty that how he over come from that bad environment.

The brain only differentiate him from the beast. For him the world is both hard

and mild, traitorous and believable. The poet's suggestion is that we must know

the naturalistic way of life.

The loving environment develops through humanity, freedom justice.

It wilt get in the world of peace, a world without human conflicts. The universal

love and brotherhood will prevail, if humanity is there.

While observing man's struggle against nature, universe, world,

neighbour and his own self, he strongly believes in the innate potentiality of
r

man.

The bitterness that we get is also in Emerson, Thoreau and Whitman

Fie has a great widsom and knowledge about the Fluman life. Whatever is his

idea of happiness and pathos is the base on humanism. Fie uses metaphor

and symbols to present the storm and tension which exist in his mind.

"Two tramp a Mind Time" has presented the philosophy of

unemployment and problem concern with it. It was a modern man's problem

which the modern man is facing and they can go to any extent. This is too much

responsible for a negligence of calm environment. In this poem take one by

other job for pay, that is the problem. Frost here advocated that man should not

1. Robert Frost and his use of Barriness. A Collection of Critical Essay, Page-149
F
 207

be greedy, and according their need only they should continue. This poem is

excellent example of isolation and inner honour of modern man.

In his complete poem his own idea for man nature and science is

scattered. It has no connection with Darwin of Fraied. In New hampstire he

r

Laugh at Darwin and states that mostly problem is created by him. He staire

on salesman and commercial. He also stated the idea to refer the world :

"Did you but know of him, New Hampshire has

One real reformer who would change the world

So it would be accepted by two classes.

Artist the minute they set up as artist

Before, that is they get themselves accepted

And boys the minute they get out of college."1

His poetry can be defined as the poetry of man a man who can

create a melodious environment from his belief, imagination, creation and creed

for beauty. He indicates that Man is the king of world and he can change this

world in a correlation with nature, society and search about a new world of

happy environment. He has an unfailing eye to behold the delight as well a

disgust scattered in the world.

Although he depicted the bad sight of human being but he also

present that he can countervail his perplexing life. His poetry describes that a

man is a important part of his world and he had seen the life. He has inner sight

and can define what is correct and what is wrong. Man should be conscious

about his soul. As a humanist Frost tries to keep in the dimension of human life,

the ups and downs on the sense of spirituality. He was of the view that human

being is totally responsible for their environment whether he choose best or

r

worst. He should keep himself free from super superstition.

1. Frost Robert, Complete Poems of Robert Frost, Page 202

 208

As regard to God Frost maintains that man should love God as God

loves man.

His poem "stopping By wood. On a snowy Evening" has been regarded

as a wonderful poem. It has been defined as a most popular poem. He finds

non human otherness of nature in this lyric. It certainly finds a big distance

between man and nature which can be explained. He suggested man that he

has to do a lot in this short life. If we will foredo his life in the jocularity than there

is no different between plebeian and beast. A beast can never say.

r

"And miles to go before I sleep.'"1

"In stopping By wood on a Snowy Evening we hear more human music of

critical situation, the insistent whisper of death at the heart of life. For we are all

travellers, travelling through haunted country. Strange voices lure us away to

nature. Friendly voices call us back to men. Which ever call we heed. We sleep

at last. "2

He stands very far from the doctrine of modern subject manner attitude,

style, towards life. He rejects experiment like T.S. Eliot, very much give his

most, the solution of.present problem. But Frost regard wisdom like Wallace

stenes; makes his own myth. The crux of Frost humanism lies in this that man

is bound to have its existence in the world by humanity.

His poem maintain the joy Pathos, happiness and sorrow in a balance

manner. His comic spirit led him to sympathise with whole humanity and all

sorts of person.

He is genuine biographer of human soul with full of sympathy humour irony,

and all human sentiments. He depicts human relation with human, nature and

surrounds. He is confirm that humanity can despair the all shortness of the world.

There is the way of progress in his poem of this view, that virtue lies in the

1. Ibid, Page-275
2. Greenberg Robert A., and Heepburn James G. ed. Robert Frost and introduction
New York, 1961, Page-100
 209
heart of man. Frost's poetry takes birth in the human heart that has rock and

wood around it. He advocates that all evil can be defeated by the love. There is

a bond of brotherhood from man to man that pulls down boundaries. He sings

of humanity and asked the astound question which are unanswered

"We have looked and looked, but after where are we?"1

He describes his character lively fleshly and meaningful. They are

taken directly from the life. He describes the life and ways of the New England

pupils. The speaker in "Mending walls, the newlywed couple in "West Running

brook. The instructive man in "The Road not taken, ill presented in lively. He

has a special art in presenting the opposite thing, create a actual sense from it.

This all develop a great impression on the reader.

Robert Frost cant defined as composer who sings a song, sung by

pleasant but he wants to know the fundamental problem of the rural people

which they are facing in the transitional period. In the economic and social

history of America. It is well put in his poetry that how the pressure was

developing putidness because of the industrialization that is why so and after

Frost comes before us as punster, he depicted mostly diseases, abnormal

person who have a views of the world, full of Pseudo. They have a pooh-pooh

views for the world, he presented those character who were tortured violated

and helpless because of the industrialization and calamity in environment, They

are always in pressure which develops anxiety and irredeemability. Where one

side the cities are modifying, other nand bridges remained unrepaired and old

roads are cracked. The hidden contradiction is pictured by the Frost, in the

pastoral atmosphere.

He paints the life with all its furiousness and ugliness. He is poet of life

not beauty. While Wordsworth celebrates the rural life with its charms and
............ .................. f - ............................. -
1. Sleeted Poem Wordsworth Page-121
 210
uninfluenced by scientific touch, Frost was ironical and sceptical.

Like Georgian, Frost also retreat into the rural of New England. But

it is different on this part, that whereas the Geograin went countryside to escape

from, reality. Frost pointed out the problem of these pupil who are in need to

approach the reality. Fie told the problem which these pupils are facing due to

science and industrialization and he throws the light on these problem. Fie

presented the out look which is irrefragably very touching. These emotion can
r

be seen in his every work.

It is true that he developed some abnormal character to elaborate

the problem and suffering, in order to become a source of consolation.

We see his poetic work "Death of Hired man" which where

introduced with three characters, Mary wife, Warren, and Silas, Warnes is

husband. Mary informed her husband that sillas has come back. On this

statement that he is not willing to have hired man because when he need him

most he was not there.

"In haying time when any help is scare

In winter he comes back to us, I'm dome

Still Mary insist her husband, tofoe kind

her emphemistic enchant us and touch our heart.

Fie didn't say, "I dragged to him to the house

And gave him tea and tried to make him smoke

I tried to make him talk about his travels

Nothing would do; he just kept nodding off."1

Silas depicted as a common human begin who is not very good and

nor very bad. Frost writes that his days on earth are finished Mary assumes it

and very sad to find him in such astounding condition.

1. Complete Poem of Robert Forst, Page-49

 211
Hence the destructive mind presented by his husband, humanity by

Mary and social condition by Silas. Yet Frost present that on earth every thing

is partially, whether it in goodness or badness there should be balance! in all,

create a Balmy environment. The man is enough responsible for his tragic

environment. Frost studies the will and whims, body brain, texture soul under

the frame of humanity. Even the out look for the science is breathing for humanity.

There is a urge of humanity hiding behind his every statement. Whatever views

through his poetry emerges of Sociology Economic, law Science, there is a

strong justification for humanism. He speaks humanity of past, present and

future.

The humanity lies in the poetry in the sense of human relationship.

A term relationship is very much arouse the environment. For a good

environment it is compulsory to have a healthy vision with all kind of relation. It is

very much responsible to euminate our society as well as atmosphere. We can

see that how Frost rejoices the term friendship through his poetry." A time to

talk" This poetry is hilarious with deep friendly, undertones and overtones.

"When a friend call me from the road

And how his horse to a meaning walk

I don't stand still and look around

On all the hills I haven't hoed

And shout from where I am, What is it?

No, not as there is a time to talk

I thrust my hoe is the mellow groynd,

Blade end up and five feet tall

And plod; I go upto the stone wall

For a friendly visit. 1

1. Ibid Page-156
 212
He represented the voice of America, their voice, joy, sorrow; faith,

doubt. His faith on God is never loose on account of scientific thoughts. God

only gives the right path and man can get till he have true belief in him and he is

merciful. He can detached us from wrong path. He, only Almighty can change
r

our wrong belief.

"The Fear of Man' pictured the condition of man when he is afraid

shows man's fear and respect to the God. The poems under the title'Editoreals'

are about science and its disaster.

A Masque of Mercy expressed the theme that the whatever

difficulties comes before our life, it should be taken as a trial to promote our

soul. Frost assists that man should not discompose himself but try his best with

the help, of belief in god and faith in field which is allotted to him.

"Nothing can make unjustice just. But mercy."1

In itinerancy of the England he felt Jack and Gill Problem. He felt

that there is a dual mind of perplexiblity, in scientific period. He does not writ

the crude human nature, but the simple, direct human nature, In "Tuft of flower"

he catches what is happening in modern period.

"Men work together' I told him from the heart

Whether they work together, or a part." 2

Here he clear that working together in rural area have the fitial bond

of humanity. Frost's aim writing poetry was to glorify the human race, Smartly

he play the both, best and the worst of the man in his poetry. He is of view that

philosophy, not a outstanding thing but it is within human life. Any formal approach

in poetry is useless. A philosophy of life is something that is not formal.

F

He wants to warm up the virtue which is dormant in human consciousness. Man

1. Ibid, Page-42
2. Ibid, Page-32
 213
is easy going creature. But circumstances deposes a eccentricity to his norm.

He is the chooser of brotherhood, through his poetry bond from

man to man. His poetry takes birth in human heart but the obstructions are

always there in Mr. Squires states " ultimately, Frost prefers to let the way of

man's relation to man fell its chance or to a faith in some kin of spontaneous

understanding,"1

Contemplating attitude toward world. He speaks in the concluding

line of "The Lesson For Today :

"And where an epitaph to be my story

I have a short one ready for my own

i

I would have written on me of my stone

I have lover's quarrel with the world."2

He is great optimistic and keep company of complaisance with

human being rather than the absurdity, crudeness and philosophic approach..

This views is concordant to Emerson, Emerson found in nature.

A version of a moral sentences they both never delineate in their poetry

r

that the nature is the source of goodness it like coin a have both side. The

nature also have same. As Mr. Squires say "Nature, as a matter of fact, often

takes up the role deserted by human being in the poetry of Frost and Emerson"3

In his poetry "Once by the Pacific"

"There would be more than ocean water broken

Before God's last Put the Light was spoken."4

1. Squires, Radcliff, "The Major Themes of Robert Frost", Page-76

2. Complet Poems of Robert Frost, Page-476
3. Squires.Radcliff James" The Major Theme of Robert, Frost, Page-9
4. Complete Poems of Robert Frost, Page-314
 214
In his poetry "The Bear" he vgices a rebellious attitude toward man's

limitation. He is of this that there is always the perpetual action in man life, gain

or loose. He might be do wrong but at second while he is improved so man's

life is like pendulum where one hand there is in generosity but next he is in mud

of errors. So he should be come out from his disastrous condition, only a real

way to lead the. It should be not fair to lead the life in gloomy means.

"A voice said, look me on the star

And tell me truly men of earth

If all the soul and body cares

were not to much to pay for birth."1

As a confirmed humanist he asks human being to face each extreme

p

position with strength.

Frost term escape is a temporary in his poetry. The swinging of the

boys of 'Birches' Escape from the earth for moment, come back again. There

is not a glimpse of romantic escape, who renounce this world and go in other

world to free themselves from the miseries of reality. Observing difference,

between man and nature the poet speaks in "The Tree At my window".

"Your head so much concerned with outer

Mine with inner weather."1

He depicted the real and ideal world in his poetry. From line to line

the poet highlight that the basic of human reality, not in reason but in passion

and impulse. But in his early poem "The Vanlge Point" he considered nature

and marked side by side, He says "If tired of trees I seek again mankind.

There is a mixture of Christianity humanism as well as naturalism.

Man can gain the real and divine code of life through nature and the way of

1. Ibid, Page-493
2. Ibid, Page 318
 215
living by responsibility, by humanism order, Harmony can be achieved through

Christianity, he has intermingled both aspect and want to present the real feature

of human being for the future. That we can see in snowy evening the speaker

wants to wake up the cognition, want realised their promises under the guiding

principles of reason. Here he depicts the powerful modern men.

Frost very much talk about the man. Yet he depicted the same
r

universal man.

"To the thanking" is a great example. He presented himself as a

bird watcher in the sense of his great love for bird. In tree my window he presented

the understanding between the nature and man. Here Frost emphasises the

significant role of Nature in our mundane life. Frost present the perfect

neighbourhood between him and the tree

"But let there never be curtained drawn

Between you and me."1

When ever we come in contact with Frost poetry, we find his manner

of thinking which percolate and fill the poetry with beauty of faith, courage, duty

and great promises. Duty and wishes are spreaded in all his great work. "West

running brook" a great suggestive poem speaks of the universal cataract of

death. "Stopping By wood" also uses the word 'sleep' twice to regularize the

mind of reader in its real sense of death, like "Home burial" a philosophic sense

of dying man is a melancholy condition

No, from the time one is sick to death

Owner is alone, and he dies more alone."2

Frost advocates the man who change the values of the society which

is unjustice of any sort. West running book is the fine example to express his

views. The following line vividly speak the rebellious spirit of Frost.

1. Complete Poem of Robert Forst, Page-318

2. Ibid Page 72 r
 216
"And life too much like in pathless wood

where your face burns and tickle with the cobweb,"1

"The trail by experience" is a poem in which he presents the real virtue of

man, the sheer which lies in him and with its help he can vanish the difficulties

which comes in his way.

Man is much puzzled due to adverse thinking at that time he is guided

by self consciousness. Harmony love tie up from the bad deeds because man

has got an inexhaustive takes. Frost believes in the heart of human being,

because humanity rises from inner consciousness. He emphasises on this

pattern that poetry should be written for inner satisfaction which liable to shake

him for right path. His poetries differentiates between real and ideal fact. Frost

treats very simply even a blind belief, existing in the Society, have a body of

truth. Some see him as conservative also.

"We vanily wrestle with the blind belief

that ought we cherish

Can ever quite pass out of utter grief

And wholly perish."2

Frost also paints the second side of life. He is a poet of a humanity

to create a loving environment which is lying in human mind in form of aspiration

and expectation have no end, and man forgotten human values. This sinister

of life is painted by him in a touching manner. He defines that man should be

came up through his strong will power. In "the Onset" we are told that though the

possibility of cold death can not wholly denied. But we should struggle for
r

existence of human life. Though the poetic words are simple and short but

1. Complete Poem of Robert Forst, Page-153

2. Ibid Page - 99
 217
meaning has got deep sense of human aspect.

Poet presents the world in short, his poetry linger in our memory. It evokes

a different mood. "Into my own" he says

"One of my wishes is that those dark tree

So old and firm they scarcely show the breeze

were not as were the merest mask of gloom

But stretched away unto the edge of doom."1

Dark tree bewildered the poet's mind but he will achieve the goal of

human life in adverse situation by the help of self confidence and determination.

"I should not be withheld but that some day

r

Into their vastness I should steal away

Fearless of ever finding open land

Or high way where the slow wheel pours the sand."2

In his poetry "Acquainted with night". He accepts Man aspiration

around him and forgets the limitation. In the darkness of night the speaker is

isolated from nature and people. The speaker goes beyond the furthest city

light in the rain. He passes by the watchmen and hear a cry. The poetry speaks

about the society. The movement we start thinking against the nature creates

the miseries of life

"Before man came blow it right

The wind once blew, itself untaught,

And did it loudest day and night

In any rough place, where it caught

Man came to tell it what was wrong

It had'nt found the place to blow;

It blew too hard the aim was song

And listen how ought to go-"3

1. Complete Poem of Robert Forst, Page-5

2. Ibid-Page-5
3. Ibid, Page-274
 218
He declares the real aim of poet is like a teacher to reveal the/

realities of life and explain it by heart. The poet describes man struggle with

desired environment and society.

To get the best of loving environment he re establish the powerful relation

between man and nature. "In putting the seed" he narrates, the story who want

to plant the bean. The farmer reach the consciousness through the nature which

is sprouted in the field filed.

"How love burns through Putting in the Seed

On through the watching for early birth

When just as the soil tarnishes with weed,

The sturdy seedling with arched body come

Shouldering its way and shedding the earth crumbs."1

The nature which is surrounded because of our own creativity. He is

opposed to Wordsworth's nature Elysum, This is mere hallucination that why

both element presented by him.

r

"There is much in nature against us, But we forget

Take nature all together since time to began

Including human nature, in peace and war

And it must be a little more in favour of man." 2

He replaced the Romnaticism escape. The real happiness lies in

the strength and good deeds which can be attained through Christianity.

He visualise, to describe a man, as main character, with all his

thoughts and action through his poetries. There is quest to learn more. Growing

1. Complete Poem of Robert Forst, Page-155

2. Ibid, Page-469 r
 219
consciousness of nationality is other feature of his humanity. Going with good

is always that response good but the important is this the he is with God. The

royal, road which goes to God to get the perfection and gladness in life, will

bond up the power of brotherhood. This is out of question that man can gain

radiant life through the constant habit of goodness and belief in God.

Nothing can be changed and life, and all will go with its own way. "Out

Out" emerges the feeling of duty although the death change I theirwork schedule

for a while.

"And they, since they,

were not the one dead, turned to their affairs."1

In Frostian work we see that Nature wants man to understand the

feeling of her because they both have an existence.

Man cannot live without values, nature is the source of values. That

is why physical nature, is the need for a second look into the subject of religion.

"Mendining wall is remarkable for neighbourhood.

"He moves in darkness as it seems to me,

r

Not of woods only and the shade of tree."2

Frostrian man find himself alone on the earth, Everything is indifferent

and he is very much confused, He realy not know what to do and he find his way

in zig zag manner, now his loftiness increases and still he is wandering with no

way, but when he realizes and understand the warm relation with his surroundings

like neighbour nature, environment etc the love emerges and then he find himself

out from isolation, and through his decorum he fight against every evil form,

which is lying on the earth, and also the material conflict.

1. Complete Poem of Robert Forst, Page-172
2. Ibid, Page-48
 220
Frost does not give a real concept of man but he intermingled it with

spiritual conception of material optimism. He advocates that if man surrender

himself before God the God will always with him. Because the man will is of

narrow plan. He losses his patient and find himself in great sinister. Man can

come out through his own courage and faith. Man will breath as a creation of

God and act according need of human, unselfish love and affection, touch him

"The moving", "Two Tramps", "the Pasture" confirms this attitude of Frost. If

man attitude and action are with the ethics of values ultimately brings the joy
r

which is free from smirchy environment. The term love and affection depicted

as delight and wisdom. The loving line on love come before us from this lovable

poem. "In the clearing"

"I'm going out to clean the pasture spring',

I'll only slop to yake the leaves

(And want to watch the water clear, I may)

I sha'n't gone long. You come too

I'm going out to fetch the little calf

That's standing by the mother, it' so young

It tollers when she lick it with her„tongue

i'sha'nt be gone long You come 'too' "1

A common work depicts for good environment is art. Its refine the

human mind and bring before us the breezed environment as well as the bond

of friendship and brotherhood. The images of new born calf suggest birth and

growth. The poet effort to repossess his natural environment and describe its

1. Complete Poem of Robert Forst, Page-1

 221
realistic term. The wait and watch have^a hiding meaning which suggests that

when the deed is good the result is also good. We should have trust the fruit will

come, in a form of best environment.

In "Bond and free" he emphasized the feeling of love. It is clearly

click the earth bond.

"Love has earth to which she clings

With hills and circling arms about

Wall within wall to shut fear out.

But thoughts has need no such thing

Forthought has pairof dauntless wings way." 1

r

So this way it is a matter of a fact that Frost is a great environmentalist.

"Essentially then Frost makes life capable of surviving by purify it be

reducing its sentiment and maximizing its resolve :2

It is Robert Frost who treats with man as well as its soul with reality,

that how can he sustain the unsettled mind and live on earth like on heaven, by

his own deeds and responsibility. Fie should be hopeful, unsining undismayed

and he will create a wonderful environment and also brotherhood. The poetry of

Robert Frost gives a beautiful path to a down hearted feature.

It is clear to justified him a very great environmentalist through this

very theme. Fie is very much bothered §bout Nature and its relation with human

being. The very correlation of Nature and man can be clear that the oxygen we

get from tree as well as the Carbondioxide from us explain by Frost.

So the man should be very much aware of this as well as the modern era,

1. Complete Poem of Robert Forst, Page-151

2. Squires Radcliff, "The Major theme of Robert Frost, Page-46
 222
which declared the era of science, has bring a miserable situation, yet the

constructive mind of human proves validity in all field but destructive personality

can abolish the whole. So he spread the massage of humanism and brotherhold

among mankind. It will create the acute environment. Yet Frost presents the

rummage of nature, that if we stand before the nature and surrounding is not

favourable. No doubt nature will ruin all creature. Nature is not always kind to us

because she with punish the suborner and demolish the whole mankind.

It depends on us to save the race of mankind towards healthy environment

through the constructive mind which almighty has given to all of us. Ultimately,

Frost prefers to let the way of man's relation to man fall its chance - or to a faith

in some kin of spontaneous understanding."1 Like Wordsworth and Robert

Frost, Kazuyosi, Ikeda also give his attention on this special point.

"The aim of my poetry making is to establish the universal brotherhood

and internal peace of the world by unity, the heart of the people in the world with

the use of rhythmic and beautiful word my poetry is based on my religious belief

that the universe has created by God and God bore ail things living and non

living and all thing that is men, animals, birds, insect, flower, trees club, mountain

river and many others are brothers and sisters born from the same God and

have their own heart and minds. Hence all thing should love each other with

brotherly hearts. In the universe there should peace not be hatred enemity, conflict

terrorism or war. The world should be a paradise of love and peace. In my

poetry I sing of the heart of all thing in the universe particularly love between

men and natural thing and mutual love between men and men. Thus in my poetry,

the world is flooded with love and brother hood, so there are eternal peace and

warm hearted protection of environment. This is the essence of my poetry."

If we brood over these statement, undoubtedly we can celebrate the

great soul as an great environmentalist, yet this is amazing that he is a scientist

1.Squires Radcliff, "Major theme of Robert Frost, Page-76

2. Dwivedi S.C. "Titiksha", A Karuna India Publication, June 2002, Page-120
 223
but a keen observer of human kind. He cant see the suffering of living thinking

but also a non living thing. It is astonished that he is a great observer, who can

see the real value of human being. He want to established non violence,

brotherhood happiness and blow the breezy environment through his poetry.

He wants to create a panacea to demolish the epidemic which is

r

spreading all over in the world in a form of violence. He see the felocity of human

being of this modern age who are ready to finish the whole world weather in the

form of humanity or environment. They wants to destroy the law and order of

nature and disbalance the whole society. The great soul Ikeda is keen seer

who understand the protoplast of human being. He knows that virtue will defeat

the vice and so he want to aware the human being through his poetries.

"Both my science and my poetry are sincere endeavour to pursue

the beauty given by God, the creator to the universe and to realize the genuine

love for many thing and everlasting peace of thing. 1

The soul seen in every creature of such feeling, cant be expressed

but to feel. We can see his poetry ;

"Love is said the wheel of life in the night

And the world mover on it

Love does bear faith supreme .

brings the heaven at ourfeet."2

The touching feeling, with simple word that is the quality of Ikeda.

His poetries with simple and grand feeling can understand by a simple reader.

If these word can understand by the human being no doubt there will be a

bounded brotherhood every where. He is great environmentalist of this epoch.

His poetries have a qualities can gentalized the human being. As a matter of

1. Ibid Page-44
2. Majumdar Dr. Biiblab-ed. "Prof. Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda", A Phenomenon in world
Poetry" International Poetry Soceity of Kolkatta, 2003, Page-51
 224
fact Ikeda stand as hand to heart of every creature and proclaim that the virtue

can only change the world. We justified his will and his own statement. He says

that "My poetry is based on my philosophy that God created the universe and

all thing in the universe. My poetry is flooded with my spirit of aspiration for

establishing universal brotherhood and world place. The above philosophy is

very religious and may be rejected by many materialistic scientist. I myself an a

scientific but I believe in God and realize the importance of religion God gave

beauty to universe. He gave heart to all thing he created. All things are brother

and sister born from God. The teaching is various religion are superficially

different but essentially identical. In Christianity the supreme god Yahweh created

the universe and all thing in the universe according to the Bible I researched

Shinto by analyzing the ancient book "Kozik" in details. According to the result

of my research in Shinto the universe was created by seventeen gods God

Izanak and Goddess Izanami married with deep love and bore all things. So all

things have hearts inherited from their parents. Gods and are brother and sistej-

born from the same parents Gods"1

The great statement of the great soul. He is the man who understand
r

the current problem, which scattered in all his poetry. He knows that the science

is developed, but the use of the science is going on the side of worst. The

whole phenomena is changing in the part of diversity, as well as, pollution. So

there should be a stoppage on this condition because man can't lead his

spiritual life in a filthy environment. God has given us a life and we have right to

proceed overselves on right path, we cherish the life which is given to us. It is a

part of grief that how we are responsible for polluting our society as well as the

whole universe. So the poetry of this Ikeda is like a Multiudinism which can

cure the cancer of the world, he presented a non living thing in such mannerthat

1. Ibi3 Page-16
 225
it comes before us like a real thing, having body with flesh and also blodd and

having a beating heart.

A PLUG

"I am a plug insert me in the wall outlet

I firmly make a passage between heart and heart

Delighting with transmission between heart and head

The streetlight shines in the dark after the sunset"

r

A SWITCH

I am a switch, on or off electricity

My heart is disturbed deeply and confused greatly

I' am at a loss which to choose going or stopping

Connecting or serving living or dying.

A FUSE

"Against a dissaster a fuse protect men

to control men excesses, I burn my body

Killing off the origin of calamity

It is my honourto die on behalf of men"1

With the help of these three electric applicance, he emerges as great

environmentalist, a lover of universe which is highly appluasive.

On the depiction of plug, united the two heart and develop a

generous brotherhood. The perpetual conflict, which is the current problem of

today life is in the description of a fuse. The men all his deeds disastorous,

it burns, his body, the fuse is very much disappointed that there is a harassment,

ipsy pollution enemity rather than calmness and so it better to die.

1. Dwivedi Suresh Chandra, "Prof. Dr. Kazuyosi Ikeda, Poet of the Millenium”,
Karuna India Prakashan, Allahabad, 2004, Page-74.
 226
It is the quality of man of letters that he creates, a new world in which the

feeling of every object presents breezily phenomena whether in the sense of

sacrifice or love. Now lets we see some of his other poetries.

ATONGUE '

"A man tastes sweetest water by his subtle tongue

The water is so luscious that soul is melted

A man cheats a girl in love by his facile tongue

The dreamy love is so sad that tears are flooded."1

This beautiful poem can differentiate that a object can be on first

hand a subtle and can do good but on another it is facile by its deceiveness.

Ikeda advocates the better form. He viewed that yet every object have its both

side, but what to choose is more important. His poems have ability that it can

coerce, the human being, from defect as well as wickedness. He wants to clean

the untidiness of the world, are not like in a long preaches, but in a simple form

that can be understand by the simplest man. He is a great overseer who can

understand that world is going on bad direction. If the world go on the path

shown by the Ikeda, surely they will come out from all their miseries, create a

new word. Poetries are like gems for the modern man. It is not enough to have

a high quantity of technological man power but there is a need for a measure of

spiritual growth.

As a school boy he enjoyed both scientific and literally subject. He

likes all field of learning whether it is a Maths or Science, national language,

history moral or even handicraft, he hates gymnastic or physical exercise

because it is part of fighting which create violence. Ikeda was not influenced by

any thoughts of any philosopher or thinker. His affirmness and sublimity are

according the Japanese traditional thoughts and belief. The fundamental base

of his poetry is to not to kill any body. This is the noble view of universal

1. Dwivedi, S.C. Titiksha", Page-55

 r227
brotherhood and eternal peace of the world, the essence of the Japanese

spirit lies in it. He wants to spread his feeling to all over the world. Ikeda has

two profession. Poetry and science. He advocates that there should be a

beautiful tie between science and poetry. He is very much disappointed that

the science is investing thing which is demolishing the peace of world.1 2

"My goal of life is to make the earth a Paradise full of love and peace.

I will endeavour attain this goal from both side of poetry and science."1

Though I have not read the large scale of Ikeda poetries but whatever

comes before me struck me straight on my mind that what a keen observer the

Ikeda, the great soul. His poetric are great subject of cogitation. He delineate

the thing in such manner, that it deeply engrossed the heart and mind of reader

with simplicity.

A - Mark

"If someone shoots are arrow aiming the mark

The arrow”! stick in the mark

If some course shoots an arrow avoiding the mark

The arrow I fly far away maximum."2

The description is simple touching, a very pure example of humanity

not to struck any body aimfully because it gives misery. His look have ethical

values. He thinks of betterment of the world. Through his poetries he show his

belief in now war and no tears. He is the great humanism of the 21st century.
r
He has published thousand of the poems but the essence are same, the

purification of world. He is very far from the terse Johnsonian in his poetry but

choose the terrestrial language, only to understood by the commons also. That

is his greatness.

1. Ibid, Page-55
2. Ibid, Page-95
 228
"American poet has written two thousand poems dedicated to great persons

(Gandhi, Churchill, Eastern Etc), in a book "Countrymen he has dedicated the

r

following line to Ikeda

"Where one world no do he did for two

If our 20th Century is like comet

You are its best hope'

We speak of you with great respect

Poet Physicist Person"1

Whatever comes in the hand of Ikeda, takes a new birth, with new

meaning and new sense, can refresh the whole world, for example -

Folding Paper

"By folding paper, Devils and angles are born.

Cranes, turtles, dragons giraffes and other are born

From may coloured paper they all are born here

Lo they all move vividly in the dreamland here

Drawing Paper

A sheet of Drawing Paper am I; my duty

Is to reflect on me things with shape in the world

And things with life in the world like reality

Does one know that very mind is whitest in the world?

Tissue Paper

A sheet of tissue paper, I am deserted,

Together with dust, rubbish and trash ruthlessly,

r

In flow of transmigration, I dream emptily

Of rebirts as gold paper highly respected"2

1. Dwivedi, S.C., Poet of Millenium, Page-21

2. Ibid, Page-114
 229
Here he presents a simple trivinal thing, "Paper" in a magnificent manner,

what ties here, that is humanism. Yet thing are introduced in different manner,

whether it is folding, paper who desires, that whatever the being reproduced

from it, can fulfil their dreams, and new life. Secondly drawing paper wishes,

that there are different shapes drawn with great effort but no one thinks that he

is a small part of world. The description of tissue paper have a optimistic

massage, that after transmigration he will be a golden paper, and get the respect

for what it deserves.

These all happens with the great pen of great scholar whatever

touched by him give the excellent sense of humanism and brotherhood, We

can see the interview with S.C. Dwiveai who asked the question that what he

had done to save environment he replied :

"Human kind is proceeding in the wrong direction of destroying environment by

excessive progress of material civilization leading to great loss of the beauties

of nature and to serious infringement of healthy and comfortable lives of.

humankind themselves.

By polarising my poetry about the heart of all creation. I have eagerly

endeavoured to provide in peoples' heart genuine, truthful love for thing

r

surrounding them. Knowing the heart of thing by my poetry will give birth to

intense feeling of loving, protecting and saving environment.

On the other hand, I, as, the President of International Earth

Environment university, have been teaching many students the importance and

indispensability of saving environment and how to save environment

technologically in various field of science."1

He depicted the world of his own. He advocates that the war and

1. Ibid, Page-54
 230

woes are the weapon that can only demolish the world and create turmoil all

over the world. He say that Terrorism is cruel merciless, inhuman and brutant

crime of murder and furthermore attack in revenge for it give rise to counter

attack and thus the world is flooded with miserable, tragic massare and

slaughter. In a law abiding society the police capture the criminal of murder and

punish them through justice and judgment. However, attacks in revenge cause

the killing of many men guilty persons living near the criminals. Such deals are

further criminals of murder and so a political leader in law-abiding country should

not key attack in revenge for terrorism.

In this problem poet can and should play important role in

establishing the peaceful world where there is no terrorism, nor attack nor war,

poets have powerful ability to unity the heart of the people in world intense

aspirations for universal brotherhood and world peace by using their rhythmic

impressive fascinating and uspring words : All the peace loving poets In the

world should make their impressive enchanting poem propagate through out
r

the world and penetrate deep into the heart of all people in the world, with a

view to constructing perfectly peaceful world over flowing with sincere, true love.

He is the president of international Earth Environment naturally it is

related with protection of earth. His poetry reflects many things. Knowing the

heart of all thing, give a loving feeling and intense feeling of bond of brotherhood

and the protestation of earth to save the environment. His work constructs

science and poetry in one and wove the structure of humanism. That is the

quality of the Ikeda. He knows the human values that brighten. The world is now

full of coxcomb types men. Man can do any thing for their pomp and show. The

covetousness of human being is too much developed, that any deed can make

by them. Yet they are rich, but losing their lot they are great loser, because they
are loosing their peace, being lacking rthe harmony and missing their real
 231
happiness. They can not understand that what is happening with them. Yet they

are growing rich day by day. But the question is still there that why they are too

much sad, gloomy unhappy, disappointed. The answer cant be get after the

reading the poetries of Ikeda. Selfishness propagating our vices and

demolishing virtues. That virtue which have quality to spritualize ourselves as

r

well as our life. They are all spiritual value, human value. They don't come from

the earth outside or clouds or trees or machine. They come from the depth of

human spirit. God has given life to have fair deeds so we can adore and serve

life. But no, we are doing bad and spoiling the life, disordering the system of

nature, resulting in a polluted environment. This is a matter of sadness, how we

came out from this gruesome condition.

Yet the science is developed but today it is in use of wrong direction,

when Sri S. C. Dwivedi asked him that when he is sad? he gives answer -

"I am glomy, sad and depressed at news of war

0

r
Men's killing men is in contradiction with God's intension

God created the universe so as to be the Paradise full of

Love and Peace and bore men and all things as brethren."1

He is much against that the science should not be employed to invent

and develop weapon which are used for killing men and women. He sings that

every creature heart demands peace of the world and protection of environment.

He is also scientist so he is doing his best to save the environment. He believes

in the sublimity of poet's work who can resound the heart of human being and

refresh it with new meaning. The following lines reveal the hidden concept."2

r
1. Dwivedi, S.C. "Titiksha", Page-56
2. Ibid, Page-109
 232
FARS

Measuring Ears

"I am doubtful of the sound Did my ears mishears?

I heard the sound of falling of leaves in autumn

Although my ear only know coming of autumn

I dont see lonesome autumn and sneaking into here

QUICK EARS

I get information soon; I've veryquick ears.

So anytime me heart has no peace nor quiet

My ears are to blame for it; I should close my ears.

Ears closed , in the sky, I see could drift with quiet.

GOOD FORTUNE EARS

The lobes of thy ears are big and swollen thickly

Thy getting rich is promised by thy fortune ears

The ears are sign of a life wealthy and happy

Thou hast to live relying on the good luck ears".2

His poems always give some new meaning. A freshness lies in his

every line. Here, he defines the difference shape of ears which stand for different
r
character. Whether the mishearing ears who is always doubtful on other hand

the quick ears, because of quickness the calamity' of life was gone. Yet poet

suggested here to close the ear and get the perfect version of life. Good fortune,

ear have optimistic view, who see the best path of life. This is what Ikeda wants

to disclose that the good and evil have a constant role in the life. After all, human

life is the Supreme gift of God. Human life is not a curse but a gift to get rid of

wordly bondage having ample opportunities to achieve the ultimate goal of self
 233
benediction and reach the highest stage of incarnation.

Yet as a scientist he knows that the environment pureness is

perneciousing due to the great extension of materialism. Naturally he advocates

and teaches his student that how to protect our environment and society. In his

interview with S.C. Dwivedi his great desire is explicted. "It is possible that

humankind may develop science and technology and abused them and as a

result perished under the bad circumstances they themselves have constructed.

But this possibility will be realised in the case where humankind have disregards

ethics, moral mutual love and love for all thing around them. If humankind develops

evenly mental culture including ethics, moral and brotherhood etc and material

civilization including science and technology, they will escape from pressing

and prosper and flourish more and more. My poetry singing of all heart and

leading to genuine love for ail thing and universal brotherhood with theaim of

establishing a paradise of Love and Peace, will play an exceedingly important

role for human kinds prosperity and happiness in future."1

The aim of the great thinker is obvious that consistency of his feeling

will sure change the world, In my view, we can establish him as a apostie who

is aiming the world according to his desire. Today in this averse condition

when men is before men as well as nature. The ism of the great soul can be like

a medicine of the worries of whole world. He says nothing direct in a form of

instruction but through his character which is created by him. He creates his

own character and shaped him according to his will which give a massage

what he wants. Dr. Kazuyousi Ikeda's poetry is personal and evokes the value

of human life. He touches the very heart of mankind. He want that there should
r
be bearable and tolerable life. The very preaching of Budha as well as the

1. Dwivedi, S.C. "Titiksha", Page-65

 234
essence of saint and finally the sense of Basudhai Kutumbakam is the real

aim. He loves the principle of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram like John Keat's

"Beauty is Truth, Truth beauty". He knows the fact that yet there is many religion

and each have their own God, Jehorvah in Christian, Allaha in Islam, and many

other but the maxim and of all religion is same. The spirit of love is common

and his poetry is based on this very belief. He believes in the Divine will. He has

written many poems on weapon, which actually appeals the human heart.

A GUN

Mankind invented a gun, to kill man quickly

The intense sound has vanished in the sky vainly

An agonized groan is heard even here faintly

r

The voice of grooming curses the great sin world"1

Spirituality is that light which inspires men to get rid of the present

system. Man intends to change his habit and illusion which have created these

miseries that man at large is engrossed. Miseries and problem do not descend

from above but they are men's own creation that have been created by him. He

creates trouble for himself by inviting undesirable element in his outlook which

has completely shattered in his life.

The intense peace loving depends on the love of ethics and the

judgment of good and bad and he suggests scientist to learn this reality from

poet. There is a unity of science and poetry in him. He understands his duty to

fulfil and satisfy the will of God. As a scientist he makes great efforts to discover

substance, the beauty, given by God, he admits it one place, he states that he

has been researching into nature by beautiful mathematical argument based

on logic and reason. Spiritual science is as much important for the development

1, Dwivedi, S.C, "Titiksha", Page-140

 235
of an individual as physical science is for material well being Dr. Dwivedi

perceptiuely comments on hin the poetic manner:

"Like a Prajapati you have made a world

Which is full of peace, order and joy

Where there is no violation of human right

No tears, no anguish where all enjoy

Your message is reaching all the directions

Your poetry has changed the face of the Earth."1

It is clear that he shows the candle to this obscured world. He is like

a dawn of peace and love. He manifests the world of his dream and wants to

extend all over the world. He introduced the being that how they can change

their life and look the way far from the feculent path. He wants that through his

poetry the whole would will be from hazardous condition. He sees the whole

world as his own kith and kins. When the counter attack and unvade causing

bloodshed all over the world his poetry, is like a dew of nector to realized the

noble and holy will of the beings.

So whatever he writes there is always the essence of peace joy, love

happiness beautiful fortune etc.

Now a day man surrenders towards a catastrophe. People views

r

are against the Nuclear of Chemical weapons, but the scientist are producing

them. This is a subject of pleasure that Ikeda is only a poet scientist who is

totally against the to war.

Ikeda knows this very thing of reality or protoplast of life that nothing

is everlasting but every thing will change from its own primary shape. Here we

can recalls the Frost "Nothing gold can stay". This concept is firm that why the

1. Dwivedi, S.C. "Titiksha", Page-6

 236
human being cant understand this that temporary life we have to lead on this

world. So why should we can't live in a beautious manner. There is no need of

enemity] and vice. Man is not aware to understand this fact of non-existence.

He should lead his life in self development, self building. There is a

perpetual thinking of being and becoming, what should man do to come out

from his disastorous condition.

As a bilingual poet of English and Japan, great poet is showing the

real path for human being. The following poetic passages reflect the

environmental sensibility of the poet.

A CLIP

Like scattered sheets of paper, dispersed one my thoughts

My Agony is immense, I' am is disorder

A clip of great strength ties up the sheets of paper

r

I will big me peace of mind, uniting my thought

A FILE

The tellers from any sweet heart increase in number

Her burning love penetrates my bosom deeply

Pretty letters are biped up higher and higher

To strengthen love in my breast I'll file them tightly

A STAPLER

My eyes much unsettled, turn to other flowers

An my heart is encharted by various flowers

Faster up my fickle heart quickly and strongly

With assfapter by thy hands, with great fixity. 1

r

His very short poems of four lines are like Hindi poet Bihair-Gagar

1. Dwivedi, S.C. "Titiksha", Page-108

 237
Me Sagar. He remains human elementarily and present himself as exponent to

define, the struggle of life and also how to come out from it. He develops

brotherhood and healthy environment. Every values comes from the deeper

dimension of the human personality. He presents the value of love that how this

feeling can bound all relation and develop brotherhood. Thirdly the Stapler a

feeble heart presents that all thing we can get positive. If we give our life in thy

heart because he'can only give us strength. From this aforesaid poems,

undoubtedly he is a great environmentalist. His all poetries is affluence of rich

thoughts.
r

Today every country developed the weapon and ammunication not

for promoting humanity but for the destruction, when the whole world is in need

of love, peace, prosperity, happiness security, liability brotherhood ethics etc,

there is very necessary to read this very great Apophthengm to get rid of all of

worries. The Assuming life which is dream of the Ikeda is really the dream of

world. He wants to soothe the whole community and attain the auspicious

environment. "I am not only a bilingual poet but also a scientist and

environmentalist. I have greatly contributed to science as professor of

Theoretical physics at Osaka University, publishing over hundred paper and

numerous book. Also I am the president of International Earth environment

University, To me poetry and Science have the common purpose of pursuing

the beauties of the universal created dy God and of making Love and peace

flourish our plannet. The difference between poetry and science trifling to me;

the one uses beautiful rhythmic worlds and other uses delicate and elegant

mathematic formula, poetry and science are not two but one within me. Also,

my environmentalism is based on my genuine love, expressed in my poetry for

all thing in our surrounding. As a scientist and environmentalist. I

have long asserted that scientist should not make invent or develop any weapons
 238
by which people are killed and they should destroy our environment under the
r

name of scientist civilization. It is very regrettable and deplorable that many

excellent scientist have invented nuclear weapons extremely cruel and

aeroplanes supurb conveyances born from science have been being employed

to kill innumerable people by bombing and terrorism. How grievous the wright

brother souls in heaven must be. I published a poem entitle "An Aeroplane" in

which I sang that heart of an aeroplane surroundful over its own misfortune of

being abused by men :

An Aeroplane

I' am an aeroplane soaring high into the sky

I fly in the bight sunlight at will and freely

But as my wings are heavy, my heart is heavy

Listen, there is a vain sound in my roaring cry"1

If we also develop the observing eyes of Ikeda we also feel so that

not even nuclear items want to destroy anything, their soul and heart wants to

be positive but because the regulation of human being's hand, no will for them,

so they feel very much sorrowful that why men has invented them? Only for

destruction?

If we gain this power to understand the feeling of non animating thing,

obviously we will do nothing and want to do according their will. The reason is

so that the message what HE wants to spread; PEACE. This quality can be

developed only after coming in contact with Ikeda's poetry, the men of era who

wants to establish the world in a form of paradise; normally dreamed by even/

r

creature.

Today there is a much war because of community and caste the

bloodshed can be seen by the every days newspaper. What is happening to

1. Dwivedi, S.C. "Titiksha", Page-122-23

 239
man, we can pray to stop all this rubbishness. Yet Ikeda is the man of Japan.
r

But he never thinks of Japan only, and never protect his religion Sinto. He voiced

for all religion because he know the Ism and maxims of religion is one. He is

very much influenced by Buddhism because this religion vastly adopted by

Japanese. The principle of Buddhas can be felt in his work clearly. The Ikeda

believes in the preechoo of Buddha.

The Buddha religion is full of intelligence and his many works are

based on Buddha's teaching In sunflower, the flower always admire the sun to

turn according to him and show the sumblimity of Buddha teaching.

He depicts the principle of Buddha yet he has not read any religion

stream but If a man of any caste read his work he finds that he is promoting his
r

particular religion; this is already clear by him that the maxim of every religion is

same. He shows the world a new and meaningful path and teaches the rules of

love surely; he dreamed world comes true. In brief he is a great man and hte

poetry are highly applausive:

He knows that value emerge by studying and stiring the depth of

human. Some natural qualities come from man of God Kabukis himself like.

Compassion, spirit of service, dedication, peacefulness etc. A little manipulation

of the external physical environment and internal physic environment is

necessary, out of which will emerge character energy which can vanish the

problem and dismal human life condition.

He is real environmentalist, who can hear the voice of earth which is

polluted by us for the meanless selfishness, he knows very well that if human
 240
being wants to lead his life quite in harmony he has to save his environment

because it can only perfect the human being. Man always forget that whatever

he is gaining to fulfil soul, he get it in the lap of earth. He knows that Mutual

sharing and caring is a common trait. It is by this process the entire universe is

sustained, so contributing towards the substance of this process is essential

and it should be remembered that the growth of human soul is the prime factor

in wordly success.

Happiness is normally sought in wordly object is wrong, but it is an attitude

of mind, which is determined by persons' view point towards life. A person

endowed with true humility has an attitude of glad acceptance of all that life brings

to him, so self refinement and self transcendence mean very much in life.