Poetry

The study of nature is equalling necessary for the poet who would succeed in painting beautiful word pictures of scenes and incidents, such study trains one in the observation of small details and in accuracy of description. When one’s soul enters into the spirit of nature, he feels himself carried away from the common things of this life, and seems to live in another world. He sees objects and experiences emotions which were formerly unknown to him, these well up within him like cool refreshing waters from a bubbling spring; his productions help us to forget our every day worries, while we in our imagination soar and travel with the author through the realms of poetry.

The untrained poet, like the untrained musician, or artist, produces discords and harsh contrasts which jar the finer feelings of the soul of man, his influence is not for the good of the community, he should be trained or restrained.

Look through the works of some of our best poets and you will find that Nature was a continual source of inspiration to them. The influence of Nature on Longfellow may be inferred from the following:

“If thou art worn and hard beset,
With sorrows that thou wouldst forget,
If thou wouldst learn a lesson that will keep
Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep,
Go to the woods and hills:-no tears
Dim the sweet look that Nature wears.”

I do not suggest that if one studies nature he will become a poet, it is desirable to possess other qualifications. Wordsworth, who is regarded as the naturalists poet, was a keen nature student, careful in the observation of small things, but he recognized the value of his early education which provided him with the means of expression.

“Oh! many are the poets that are sown
By nature; men endowed with the highest gifts,
The vision and the faculty divine;
Yet wanting the accomplishment of verse,
Which, in the docile season of their youth,
It was denied them to acquire, through lack
Of culture, and the inspiring aid of books.”

If you possess a copy of Wordsworth’s poems I would recommend you to peruse them again, and note how keen were his powers of observation. Read that beautiful word picture entitled “An Evening Walk”, note the number of plants and animals he mentions as you accompany him through the glen, along by the creek and beyond the water fall. There are many pieces I would like to quote, but I will confine myself to one incident - his observation and description of a pair of swans with their young, on the lake. This piece is of special interest, because naturalists have since then called attention to the habit of the female swan calling her offspring one at a time to rest on her back.

“He swells his lifted chest, and backward flings,
His bridling neck between his tow’ring wings:
Stately, and burning in his pride, divides,
And glorying looks around, the silent tides:
On as he floats, the silver’d waters glow,
Proud of the varying arch and moveless form of snow.
While tender cares and mild domestic loves,
With furtive watch pursue her as she moves;
The female with a meeker charm succeeds,
And her brown little ones around her leads,
Nibbling the water lilies as they pass,
Or playing wanton with the floating grass;
She in a mother’s care, her beauty’s pride
Forgets, unweary’d watching every side,
She calls them near, and with affection sweet
Alternately relives their weary feet;
Alternately they mount her back, and rest
Close by her mantling wings’ embrace prest.”

Compare this with a recent specimen of modern poetry written by a well known American author (Miss Amy Lowell) whose knowledge of sugar beets seems rather vague.

“Wide plains
With little red balls hidden under them,
Beets like a hidden pavement underneath the plains,
A Roman floor forsooth!
Do mosaics have any colors to equal these?
Red as the eyes of cats in firelight,
As carbuncles under a lemon moon,
As the sun swirling out of a foggy sky,
Round as apples,
Footed as tops,
You spin yourself deep into the earth
And swell and fatten
Sugar in a crimson coat,
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There are still the blood-skinned beets,
Waiting to be crushed, pulped, and eaten,
Thunder sugar – blood sugar.”
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I wonder how the author will feel when she learns that sugar beets are not little red balls, but are large white elongated roots more like mangels.

The above is but one of many instances found both in poetry and prose, where the author attempts to describe the beauties of nature from imagination instead of from personal observation.

One frequently finds descriptions of the riot of color produced by specified flowers whose names are given according to the color scheme of the author, without the knowledge that some of these bloom only in spring, the others in summer or autumn.

There is no need to exaggerate the beauties of nature by introducing imaginary species unless the author is unable to see and read the story of an individual flower. It may be “a wee crimson tipp’d” daisy in a meadow about to be ploughed, or it may be a “flower in the crannied wall”, each has a story of its own for the poet with a soul which responds to inspiration.

“Thanks to the human heart by which we live
Thanks to its tenderness, it joys, and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.”
(Wordsworth)

I am afraid I have over taxed your patience, and must therefore hasten to a conclusion. I have endeavored to show that a Natural History Society should not confine its activities to benefitting its members; it should render service to the community by helping to advance its educational institutions. This Society does not exist merely to hold lectures and excursions, they are the means towards an end; we must educate our members and the general public to recognize that the fame of Vancouver will increase in proportion to the evidences which show that we have passed beyond the primitive stages of civic development, and have entered the stage of doing things for the welfare of our fellow citizens, and those who will take our place when we have gone.

Our Society can do much, yet we can do little without the whole hearted co-operation of our members. We have a large and influential membership, but we need all who are interested in nature to share in the success of our work.

We look forward to publishing transactions so that a permanent record of our work may be handed down to our successors, and we will be able to inform kindred societies in other cities as to the nature of our activities. To be in a position to do this we need a large membership, whose annual dues will cover the cost of publishing, as well as our working expenses for the year.

If each member will take it upon himself or herself to introduce at least two new members I think we could make a commencement next session, this is one way where each member can do something to promote our work.

Another important factor in the success of our Society is regular attendance at our meetings, make it a point to reserve every second Wednesday for the Natural History Society. We have on your behalf requested a number of ladies and gentlemen to contribute lectures and papers during the winter, it will be very discouraging to those ladies and gentlemen if, after the trouble they take, they find that few of our members are interested in what they have to say. Do not look on it as courtesy to be present, but let us make it our duty as fellow members; and let all who can, help to increase the interest of the meetings by taking part in the discussion or asking questions, so that visitors will know we are alive and active.

This is our first voyage since the Natural History Society was launched, and as captain of the vessel I expect the crew to respond to signals from the wheel house; my fellow officers are enthusiastic and loyal, but the success of our maiden trip depends on the efforts put forth by the rank and file of the crew down to the last deck hand and stoker.

We are favoured with a calm sea, no clouds on the horizon, let us then do our best to hang up a good record, so that we may prove ourselves fit to take a part in building up of, and bringing fame to, the western seaport of Canada.