Perhaps one of Canada's best and most celebrated poets, Bliss Carman, was influenced by the works of the American transcendental poets, and his ancestors’ beliefs that God's "truth" can be experienced through natural settings (D.Bentley). It is evident that “Vestigia” was inspired by these ideas. This author’s poem, “Vestigia”, is effective in expressing a very mystical and transcendental idea of finding traces of God in all of Creation. Through the use of beautiful, imaginative imagery, the author presents a serene view of the narrator’s surroundings. The biblical theme of the poem also helps to create a very soft tone throughout in the poem.
The first stanza of "Vestigia" distinctly describes the theme of the poem. It begins with the first …show more content…
The narrator realizes this through listening to the sound of the hermit thrush. The voice or song of the thrush, as heard by the narrator, is perceived to be to be "His voice upon the air" (l. 10). The sound is sudden and slightly breaks the idea of this softness. I feel as though this is a relatable situation for anyone who has ever been camping or has had the pleasure of being alone in the wilderness. The sounds of birds may be startling at first in the quiet, however it becomes quite peaceful and calming later on. From the first line of the stanza, the narrator seems truly surprised to hear such a song and it is only in this state of mind, of softness and tranquility, that he or she finds these traces of God coming through in nature (l. 6). The hermit thrush may remind readers of a solitary person worshipping or singing their praises to God. The bird "sang through the holy twilight hush" and the use of the last word solidifies the idea that this scene is meant to be thought of as quiet and …show more content…
The tone of the poem is rather soft and almost philosophical. Often, this is the case when an individual is in the presence of nature and the author portrays this idea well. By tying in religion, “Vestigia” becomes transcendental and may allow for deeper spiritual connections. The imagery, tone, and biblical theme of the poem help to continue the events that lead up to the narrator realizing that if one looks deep enough, they may too find dwellings of God within their heart. I feel as though we all have opportunities to find God, Spirit, or whatever one decides to believe in, in everyday life. We are all capable of finding traces of something meaningful, or perhaps more powerful than ourselves if we only look to find
The first stanza of "Vestigia" distinctly describes the theme of the poem. It begins with the first …show more content…
The narrator realizes this through listening to the sound of the hermit thrush. The voice or song of the thrush, as heard by the narrator, is perceived to be to be "His voice upon the air" (l. 10). The sound is sudden and slightly breaks the idea of this softness. I feel as though this is a relatable situation for anyone who has ever been camping or has had the pleasure of being alone in the wilderness. The sounds of birds may be startling at first in the quiet, however it becomes quite peaceful and calming later on. From the first line of the stanza, the narrator seems truly surprised to hear such a song and it is only in this state of mind, of softness and tranquility, that he or she finds these traces of God coming through in nature (l. 6). The hermit thrush may remind readers of a solitary person worshipping or singing their praises to God. The bird "sang through the holy twilight hush" and the use of the last word solidifies the idea that this scene is meant to be thought of as quiet and …show more content…
The tone of the poem is rather soft and almost philosophical. Often, this is the case when an individual is in the presence of nature and the author portrays this idea well. By tying in religion, “Vestigia” becomes transcendental and may allow for deeper spiritual connections. The imagery, tone, and biblical theme of the poem help to continue the events that lead up to the narrator realizing that if one looks deep enough, they may too find dwellings of God within their heart. I feel as though we all have opportunities to find God, Spirit, or whatever one decides to believe in, in everyday life. We are all capable of finding traces of something meaningful, or perhaps more powerful than ourselves if we only look to find