There is so much looming and constant danger in the collection of “Bird Poems,” and that is something which we have not seen as much before with other poets. It seems like every time we turn around in these poems, a new threat presents itself, whether from humans or from other animals. Human factors such as children who throw stones, hunters, and passing boats pose threats, as do natural elements such as foxes, cats, and snakes.
I think that this speaks to a slightly different view of nature in these poems. Nature is not just something which humans can relate to and impact; it is also something which threatens itself. Nature is a system, and it self-regulates through its own system of checks and balances. By focusing his perspective onto the specific birds, Clare makes it possible to see nature through the eyes of the insider. He never speaks from their perspective, but he is sympathetic to the inherent challenges posed by the birds’ position in life.
I really like the perspective that Jim takes in this post. Clare chooses to begin his bird poems with the poem "To the Snipe" that romanticizes the danger of their natural habitat:
ReplyDelete"And fowl that dread
The very breath of man
Hiding in spots that never knew his tread
A wild and timid clan"
By choosing this as the opening poem, Clare highlights Jim's comments on the relevance of danger. Additionally, I like how the poem depicts man as a threatening and domineering presence in relation to the birds. It emphasizes a sense of responsibility we share for lesser creatures that "dread the very breath of man".