Richard Wilbur composed “In Trackless Woods” in 2003. This poem suggests that someone who is wandering around in the woods is thinking about everything mathematically and trying to solve the answer to why the woods are laid out the way it is. For example, “In trackless woods, it puzzled me to find, four great rock maples seemingly aligned, as if they had been set out in a row.” This poem, “In Trackless Woods,” has two meanings: the surface meaning of looking at patterns or mathematics, and also the allegory meaning that humans should appreciate nature and accept that it is all around. It is a simple world, but nature is complicated by the human mind. Wilbur is saying that nature is one of the most beautiful creations so why not enjoy the beauties life has to offer. Wilbur uses various terms throughout the poem describing mathematical expressions. This sonnet, a poem containing only fourteen lines, has a simple rhyme scheme (aa, bb, cc, etc.). At the end of every couplet, the text rhymes, (i.e. find/aligned, row/ago). Although Wilbur carefully chose his words to convey what he is trying to say, the poem may be hard to
