The Power of Nature

Romanticism emerged around the beginning of the nineteenth century. There was a great deal of social change during this period, where people were protesting a growing materialistic society. The Romantic Era was essentially a reaction against increasing industrialization. Writers of the Romantic Era emphasized human emotions, the power of nature, and the importance of the natural world as teacher. According to romantic writers the way out of the polluted industrial cities was to embrace nature. Nature was viewed as a pure and powerful source of renewal and enlightenment. The quintessential Romantic Era author portrays nature as a source of revelation, while Canadian writers typically depict nature as a force to be reckoned with. In the lyrical ballad ‘The Tables Turned’, English Romantic poet, William Woodsworth’s presents nature as a moral teacher and source of truth. Canadian indigenous poet, Pauline Johnson’s nature poem ‘The Song my Paddle Sings’, describes a female’s successfully journey through a formidable natural landscape. While both Woodsworth and Johnson’s poems mirror the central message of the Romantic movement, portraying nature as a source of enlightenment, Woodsworth views nature as a valuable teacher, while Johnson focuses on the benefits of collaborating with nature.

‘The Tables Turned’ is arranged in eight stanzas, with four lines in each stanza, employing an ABAB rhyming scheme, with alternate lines in each stanza rhyming, and alternating between eight and six syllables. Woodsworth uses this simple structure to convey his simple message, which is to respect and learn from nature. Most lines in the poem are end-stopped conveying one statement or thought per line. Punctuation at the end of each line encourages the reader to halt and contemplate the message being delivered. This simplistic format created an easily read poem that was understood by the working class and encouraged them to embrace the power of both nature and their emotions. Together, the simple structure, straightforward use of punctuation, and the rhyming scheme, comfort the reader, just as Woodsworth presents nature as a source of comfort. To draw the reader in the poem begins lightheartedly using imagery to establish nature as a beautiful teacher. “The sun above the mountain’s head” (Woodsworth 5) is providing light for the fields, which creates an image of nature being able to spread knowledge. The “woodland inlet” (Woodsworth 10) sounds “sweet” and has “wisdom in it” (Woodsworth 11). The “throstle sings” (Woodsworth 13) and is compared to a “preacher” (Woodsworth 14). These pleasant singing birds conjure up an image of a friendly teacher. Another example of imagery is in the line, “Sweet is the lore which Nature brings” (Woodsworth 25), where use of the word sweet causes the reader to picture nature as a candy. At the end of the first stanza, Woodsworth’s use of the alliteration “toil and trouble” (Woodsworth 4) is to continue to keep the attention of the reader, and introduces the idea that books are more work and more bother. Woodsworth uses the sun as a symbol for learning and enlightenment. The sun is described as a “freshening lustre mellow” (Woodsworth 6), spreading light “Through all the long green fields” (Woodsworth 7), which is equivalent to spreading knowledge. In the final stanza of the poem Woodsworth makes use of a metaphor to produce an unpleasant picture of science and books. He has had “Enough of Science” (Woodsworth 29) and recommends to “Close up those barren leaves” (Woodsworth 30). Comparing science to barren leaves causes the reader to picture books as lifeless, with dry pages, boring content, and little or no meaning. Woodsworth emphasizes how unappealing studying books can be which is a direct contrast to his depiction of learning from nature. The rationale behind Woodsworth’s respect for the nature is explained perfectly in the article Woodsworth and the Language of Nature. This article was written by Will Christie and published by The University of Chicago Press. The extract explains how Wordsworth interprets nature and what it is to him:

Never is the radical incompatibility between the language of man and the language of nature more apparent than when Wordsworth confronts the enviable realm of silence and slow time inhabited by his solitaries: the silence and the calm / Of mute insensate things" ("Three years she grew...", Il. 17-8). … in which speech is again likened to a stream. (Christie,1983, 40)

‘The Tables Turned’ by Woodsworth epitomizes the romantic movement, as he encourages the common working class person to embrace and learn from nature. His message is to not miss the opportunity to explore and experience nature. Woodsworth presents education through books as learning in an industrialized society, while the Romantics’ far superior version of learning, aimed at the working class, is presented as the knowledge gained through nature.

‘The Song My Paddle Sings’ is a fifty three line free verse poem, with all but four lines in the poem end-stopped. One single stanza creates a single steady tone: respect for nature. Consistently ending each line with punctuation causes the reader to pause and contemplate the meaning conveyed. Johnson employs an uneven rhyming scheme at the beginning of the poem, then transitions to a regular AABBB rhyming scheme. She begins the poem with an irregular rhyming scheme to reflect the irregularity, or unpredictability of nature. The sailor needs wind, “O! wind of the west, we wait for you” (Johnson 4), but nature is not cooperative, and the sailor decides to “stow the sail” (Johnson 10) in favour of a paddle. Johnson successfully uses this uneven rhyming structure to convey her message that nature holds all the power and humans must adapt and work with whatever nature is offering. Johnson introduces a regular rhyming scheme when the canoeist commences working with nature and using the paddle to navigate. The paddle cooperates with nature and works in harmony with the river: “soft is the song” (Johnson 18) that the “paddle sings” (Johnson 18). With the shift in rhyming scheme, the poem also shifts and focuses on how the canoe, with the help of the paddle, navigates the treacherous river. Johnson drew on her Indigenous roots, in her presentation of nature. She grew up experiencing the force of nature; at the same time this afforded her the opportunity to figure out how to work with nature. Johnson makes use of repetition as numerous lines in ‘The Song My Paddle Sings’ contain one word repeated two times. Whether it is the wind, asked to “Sleep, sleep” (Johnson 14), or the “reckless waves” (Johnson 40) that are going to “Reel, reel” (Johnson 41), the repetition of these action words engages the reader and creates a vivid picture. Alliteration is also used extensively by Johnson as the series of repeated words start with the same letter sounds: “Sleep, sleep” (Johnson 14), then “Swirl, swirl” (Johnson 31) and “Sway, Sway” (Johnson 46) as well as “Drift, drift” (Johnson 21), followed by “Dip, dip” (Johnson 26) and lastly “Dash, dash” (Johnson 36). Johnson chooses to use alliteration to emphasize the action represented by each word, to create anticipation, and to continually capture the interest of the reader. In ‘The Song My Paddle Sings’, the paddle symbolizes the female canoeist, and the song symbolizes the journey that she will travel. To successfully navigate the wind and the river the female canoeist must embrace the landscape and collaborate with the forces of nature. Initially the paddle, like the canoeist, “is plying its way ahead” (Johnson 25), fighting the rapids and the swift current. Next, the canoeist and the paddle must “Be strong” (Johnson 39) and face nature. The paddler’s journey intensifies from navigating a stream, to facing a swift current, to battling a “dangerous pool” (Johnson 33) and rushing rapids. As the journey calms down, the river’s “bubbles spray” (Johnson 47), and the trip ends with the establishment of a peaceful relationship between woman and nature. At the conclusion of the poem, Johnson uses a metaphor when she describes “A fir tree” (Johnson 50) as “rocking its lullaby” (Johnson 50). Comparing the motion of the tree to a gentle child’s song leaves the reader with the image of nature as friendly and peaceful. Johnson intended for ‘The Song My Paddle Sings’, to encourage people to engage with nature, understand the power and danger of nature, and most importantly to learn to work with nature, something Johnson learned as an Indigenous female growing up on a Reserve. The expression of strong emotions with respect to nature within poetry from the First Nations is a topic that has been studied extensively. Rick Monture, the head of indigenous studies at McMaster University explained it well in his article We Share our Matters. This extract shows how important nature is to the First Nations peoples and how they demonstrate respect and give thanks to nature:

The belief in honouring our origins by maintaining connections to the natural world is also reinforced through the ceremonies that were given to the Haudenosaunee from the very earliest times...reflects the Haudenosaunee worldview that human beings are dependent upon the natural world around them, and that it is their responsibility to remember to give thanks daily. (Monture, 2014, 5)

‘The Song My Paddle Sings’ is a lyrical ballad, where Johnson’s story is about her vast experience with nature as she successfully establishes both her passion and respect for nature.

Woodsworth and Johnson share the view that nature is a powerful force that is to be revered and respected. To establish nature as a superior teacher, Woodsworth provides compelling reasons to love nature. Starting with the title, Woodsworth “turns the table”, as he asks the reader to abandon the ever popular book learning, and welcome nature. In the poem Woodsworth depicts society as “dull” (Woodsworth 9) and full of “endless strife” (Woodsworth 9). Furthermore, he uses alliteration to emphasize that books lead to nothing more that “toil and trouble” (Woodsworth 4). In direct contrast, Woodsworth portrays nature as uplifting and full of pleasant sounds. He encourages people to come outside and hear the singing bird, “how sweet his music” (Woodsworth 11) is. Unlike Woodsworth, Johnson does allow nature to be a hostile force, with the river having a “current swift” (Johnson 23) and “many a dangerous pool awhirl” (Johnson 33), threatening the paddler. Ultimately, in ‘The Song my Paddle Sings’, the canoeist learns to work with nature’s hostility: “Be strong, O paddle! Be brave, canoe!” (Johnson 39). Successfully navigating the river, a harmonious relationship between humans and nature is created. Woodsworth and Johnson share the view that nature is to be respected and is a source of knowledge. Both poems use personification to make their message more believable. In ‘The Tables Turned’ Woodsworth personifies nature as an actual physical teacher: “Let Nature be your teacher” (Woodsworth 16). In the very next line nature is more specifically a female as “she has a world of ready wealth” (Woodsworth 17). Giving nature human qualities enables the reader to believe that nature can be a teacher. Johnson also utilizes personification in ‘The Song My Paddle Sings’, in the title itself by indicating that a paddle can sing. Personifying the paddle allows the reader to relate to the canoeist and the paddle becoming one and embracing nature. Another similarity is that both poems are written in first person narrative. By writing in first person narrative the reader is immersed in the personal thoughts and emotions of Wordsworth and Johnson. In ‘The Tables Turned’ Wordsworth is advocating for nature, encouraging people to step away from their books and experience the education the outdoors has to offer. He also communicates his personal opposition towards the structure of traditional education. Woodsworth seeks to open people’s minds to Romanticism, a more natural and spiritual way of learning. In ‘The Song My Paddle Sings’, the first person narration establishes Johnson’s strong personal connection to nature. By the end of the poem there is no separation between the individual and nature as Johnson combines the paddler, the paddle, and her canoe into a we: “We’ve raced the rapid, we’re far ahead” (Johnson 44). The first person narration makes both poems accessible to all readers, allowing the poets to reach the uneducated. Woodworth and Johnson’s poems each convey deep respect for nature. As an Indigenous Canadian poet Johnson allows for the negative forces of nature, where the Romanticist, Woodsworth sees only the beauty in nature.

In the ‘The Tables Turned’ Woodsworth compares learning obtained from books with the wisdom of nature and argues that nature is a superior teacher. The poem fits right in with the central message of the Romantic movement, which celebrated the knowledge and beauty of nature. ‘The Song My Paddle Sings’ contrasts the dangers presented by nature with the peaceful harmony that exists when people collaborate with nature. Johnson, depicting nature as a force to be reckoned, with is consistent Canadian writers, while working with nature to establish harmony, is indicative of her Indigenous roots. Combining the meaning in these two poems delivers a powerful message. To become wiser human beings must respect the force of nature while still appreciating nature’s beauty and knowledge. Over two hundred years after Woodsworth and Johnson wrote these poems, the message is still relevant, as even in today’s society, people need to humbly open their minds to the never-ending lessons nature has to teach.

Works Cited

Christie, Will. “Wordsworth and the Language of Nature.” The Wordsworth Circle, vol. 14, no. 1, 1983, pp. 40–47. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24041018. Accessed 16 Jun. 2022.

Monture, Rick. We Share our Matters. 20014. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press.

“The Song My Paddle Sings - the Song My Paddle Sings.” PoemHunter.com, 7 Apr.

2010, www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-song-my-paddle-sings-2/.

Wordsworth, William. “The Tables Turned by William Wordsworth.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45557/the-tables-turned.