© Written by Contributing Editor, Shahid Abbas
"Nature depicts the beauty of God's creations"
Nature is the mother of all beauties and home of unlimited charms. Without it, all genres are foxy with the absence of ornaments and this is something which is a priceless boon as well as the bountiful blessings of The Almighty. It exists in the literary works of every culture. It is the backbone of plots and also helps us to learn about the original image. The world is endowed with rich beauteous natural resources which can all be inspirations to compose lovely poetry and prose and to even be the eternal subjects of masterpieces. As the great poet, John Keats said: "The poetry of the earth never died." Shakespeare also stated before that: "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin".
Nature is the soul of the worldly body. How can we, as humans, help nurture nature in our own little ways? Nature shows peace, calmness, power and strength as well. A few writers consider it as a path for independence. The ancient people took it with their own perspectives. For instance, the earth refers to a woman whose anger brings earthquakes.
"With the increasing threats of global warming, it's our responsibility to take care of nature."
Shahid Abbas
In poetry, nature is a religion for romantic poets. There is a pleasure that exists in it, and they discover life secrets in her. William Wordsworth seeks God in nature and said: "Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher." He further said in his poem, 'Tintern Abbey' - "Nature never did betray the heart that loved her."
S. T. Coleridge perceives nature with supernatural portions. He stated: "For he on honey - dew hath fed, and drank the milk of paradise." John Keats the great Romantic poet said, "No bird has left in the world, which has not left an influence on his mind." For Keats, nature was his best friend.
Both writers and artists use sky as a symbolism of calmness and dwelling of the Gods. It also shows the divine forces. The blue sky is portrayed for happiness and serenity. The sky at night presents the picture of death and evil forces and the heavy cloud formations bring sadness to the core. The lovely rainbow after the rain connotes hope and a brand new tomorrow; a solemn promise of the divine. Using nature in literature would be like a good man who is "hard to find."
William Blake also talked about its importance and said: "The tree which moves some to tears of joy in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see nature at all, but to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself.
O'Conner perceived that there is nothing in the sky. It has religious imagery in it. It means that there is no God, and that humanity cannot hope for salvation. Sun is another common symbol which is used in mythology. It gives life to everyone. It also shows power, divine forces as well. The sunrise shows hope whereas, the sunset exposes the end of life. For example, in the novel 'Klara and the Sun', Klara can see outside the window to watch the rising and setting of the sun, which she believes gives her nourishment.
Water is also a traditional sign which is used in different works. It depicts rebirth, power, chaos, and danger. The sea also shows life. This is also a symbol of the rites of baptism that washes away our sins. Water in the novel, 'Crime and Punishment', comes to represent life and renewals and has different meanings for different characters. For positive characters, it connotes life and growth. Whereas water terrifies negative characters with its threat of death.
Another literary device using nature is the woods. Woods are always dangerous for humans and people believing dark forces live among them, therefore, they express being lost, endangered, and mysterious as well.
"Flowers are the emblems of youth, beauty and beauty of life. They also express varied human feelings, like love and hate."
Shahid Abbas
Nature is the most vital boon of God. It fulfills our desires. With the increasing threats of global warming, it's our responsibility to take care of it. It's our home and many creatures live and thrive for our benefit. God creates all things for us, everything like the sun, the moon, trees and animals, providing us food, oxygen, water, shelter and medicines. There is no doubt that we should nurture Mother Nature because she does protect us, too. Because of its love, we are alive, motivated, and healthy. Our unviverse presents paradise. Human beings are making progress and trying to reach other plants but they have ignored our only home. Due to our greedy behavior, we are spoiling its purity. If we don't take care and preserve it, the priceless gift of The Almighty, we will be the killers of our future generations. Unfortunately, we are unaware of the dangers of not protecting nature and so we reap what we sow.
P. B. Shelley writes in 'The Flower' that "smiles to - day to morrow dies; All that we wish."
Shahid Abbas is a multi-awarded international author and poet, English lecturer from Karapla, Tandlianwala Faisalabad, Pakistan. He is the author of 'Words From Nature' and co-author of 'We Speak in Syllables.' Shahid is also a co-author of a poetry collaboration book, 'Verses of Meraki: Poetry Collaborations and More', published by Cyber Clerical Associates based in the USA. His works were also featured in various international anthologies and diverse literary platforms both in print and online. Shahid's works have been translated into 10 different languages.
Shahid is the Director of Culture in Pakistan of the state of Birland and handles the promotion of Literary and Arts activities. He is also the newly-appointed coordinator for 'The Dream of Equality Pakistan'. Camara Internacional de Escritores and Artists (International Chamber of Writers and Artists), based in Spain, appointed him as the President for the CIESART Headquarters in Pakistan as well as CIESART ambassador for Pakistan. He is also Vice President of (P.L.O.T.S.) CREATIVES MAGAZINE, USA. He was also appointed an ambassador for UMEA (Portugal).