Gary Snyder Part 2

In Gary Snyder's poems, "The Dead by the Side of the Road," "Tomorrow's Song," and "What Happened Here Before," he addresses the issues of human invasion and destruction of natural habitats, lack of consideration for nature, and the notion that humans own nature.  Roadkill piles up on the side as highways and interstates have been built through previously undisturbed areas.  Plants and animals do not have a representative in congress.  Taxation on a piece of land is held in higher regard than the natural state of that land.  Yet with all of these issues, Gary Snyder has a vision of hope.  The hope that we can make progress away from fossil fuels.  The hope that we can live in harmony with nature instead of pretending to be above it. The hope for a better, more natural world.

Gary Snyder

In his poem's in Turtle Island, Gary Snyder explores the themes of ideology, place, and awareness.  All of these themes are brought together by being used in reference to the environment.  Vegetarianism and awareness of the environment are brought into play through the theme of ideology in reference to Buddhist teachings and how we should live like Siddhartha Gautama in the poem "One Should Not Talk to a Skilled Hunter About What is Forbidden to the Buddha."  In his poem "Bedrock," Snyder discusses place and awareness as he describe in great detail his surroundings.  In his poem "LMFBR," Snyder discusses awareness once again but in a different aspect.  He discusses awareness of the damage the humans are causing to the environment.