6 tips to write nature poetry

Nature as Muse

Writing poetry can be like a meditation. Especially when writing about nature in nature. It is a wonderous feeling to compose a poem while walking through a forest.

There is beauty in the way the gaze can soften, upon ferns and fertile things. I love listening to the way the world comes alive when it encounters sincere and softly spoken words.

I love packing a bag with notebooks and snacks. Then hiking until the woods become loud and my mind becomes quiet.

I do my best writing in the wild places, where this is no human noise to distract me.

Poetry can be a reminder to slow down and observe the subtle sounds of the environment..

Here are some tips and techniques to get you writing nature poetry.

Observe the World Around You

The first step is simple. Spend time in nature. Take walks in the woods, even if they are short.

When you have the time, sit by a river and listen. Notice the contours of the rocks. Climb a hill and watch the sunset. How does the changing light influence your thoughts?

Carry a notebook and record the things that strike you. Colours, insects, sounds, wings and creatures.

Bring a book with you. I recommend Mary Oliver. Read the book out loud. It can help the words come alive. If you feel shy, find a quiet place off the path and read to the leaves. I promise they are good listeners.

If you want to deepen into the softness, try walking slowly and silently for 10 minutes. Feel the weight of each footstep.

Keep an open eye for nooks in the hollows of tree roots.

Find a place where you want to burrow, then write for 5 minutes.

Write about the living things.

Use Sensory Detail

One of the keys to writing nature poetry is to use sensory detail.

Use the smells, sounds and textures of the natural world around you.

This is a good exercise. Try using anaphora (the repetition of a phrase at the beginning of a stanza) to get into the sensory rhythm of it.
Write a 9 line poem using these as the openings for each line:
I see…
I see…
I see…
I hear…
I hear…
I hear…
I feel…
I feel…
I feel…

I love this as an embodiment exercise and a way to land your senses on the page.

Explore Metaphor and Symbolism

Nature is full of metaphorical possibilities. Like the changing of the seasons or the growth and decay of plants.

These can become symbols and metaphors in your poetry. All offer themselves to your imagination.

Spring is often associated with new beginnings and growth.

Autumn can be about change and letting go.

While Winter is for introspection and hibernation. What are the possibilities of Summer?

How can the seasons influence the way objects, people and places behave in your poems?

Plants are also a rich source of symbolism. A seedling pushing through the soil can represent new life, while a gnarled old tree can represent wisdom and resilience. But perhaps, changing the season can change the association.

What could a gnarled tree look like in the Spring?

When dirt gathers in the cervices and seeds catch on the wind and spiders grow their webs and the rotting wood falls away to fertilize the forest floor.

I encourage you to experiment.

Honesty and vulnerability

A good poem should be honest. Honesty creates authenticity.

Don't be afraid to expose your innermost thoughts and feelings, even if they are difficult or uncomfortable.

Allow yourself to be vulnerable with the page.

Allow your fears, doubts and struggles to surge and swell into your poetry.

Honesty in poetry doesn't always come easily or naturally.

Sometimes it takes real emotional labour to get to the heart of what you want to say.

Keep going. Keep doing the work. Keep writing.

Write from personal experience

The best way to be honest in poetry is to draw from your own experiences and emotions.

Write about things that you have experienced or witnessed first hand.

Sit in the forest and watch leaves fall.

Wait in the long grasses for ladybugs to crawl on clovers.

Look for fish in the streams and tadpoles in ponds. Allow yourself to feel the depth of wonder, to feel the depths of yourself. Try to capture the emotions and sensations that you felt in the moment.

Revise and edit

Be prepared to be patient with poetry.

A good poem takes time. Nature is slow. Allow for multiple drafts.

If something doesn’t work, don’t cling to it, allow it to compost.

Be willing to revise and edit your work and don't be afraid to experiment with different approaches or styles.

I encourage you to take action and put these tips and techniques into practice.

Go outside, explore the natural world around you, and let it be your muse.

 
Till next time,
Harley.