The Wood-God by Bliss Carman (1912)
A poem about the power of nature and the interconnectedness of all things. The speaker reflects on the beauty and majesty of the forest, and how it has shaped their own identity and understanding of the world. The poem ends with a sense of reverence and awe for the natural world.
By Bliss Carman · First published 1912 · Genre: Poetry, Nature, Romantic · 221 words
First lines
Brother, lost brother! Thou of mine ancient kin! Thou of the swift will that no ponderings smother! The dumb life in me fumbles out to the shade Thou lurkest in. In vain -- evasive ever through the glade Departing footsteps fail; And only where the grasses have been pressed, Or by snapped twigs I follow a fruitless trail. So -- give o'er the quest! Sprawl on the roots and moss! Let the lithe garter squirm across my throat! Let the slow clouds and leaves above me float Into mine eyeballs and across, -- Nor think them further! Lo, the marvel! now, Thou whom my soul desireth, even thou Sprawl'st by my side, who fled'st at my pursuit. I hear thy fluting; at my shoulder there I see the sharp ears through the tangled hair, And birds and bunnies at thy music mute.
What this Textopian page supports
The Wood-God is listed on Textopian as a poem by Bliss Carman, dated 1912 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Bliss Carman
- Date: 1912 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Nature, Romantic
- Length: 221 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- St Michaels Star by Bliss Carman
- Transubstantiation by Madison Cawein
- Once In The Shining Street by Bliss Carman
- When I Pass Thy Door At Night by Bliss Carman
- An Idyl Of The Wood by Arthur Willis Colton
- The Dreamers by Bliss Carman
Genres
- Poetry — Bliss Carman was a well-known Canadian poet from the late 19th and early 20th century, and 'The Wood-God' is a collection of his poetry.
- Nature — Many of the poems in 'The Wood-God' focus on nature and the natural world, a common theme in Carman's work.
- Romantic — Carman was a pivotal figure in the Romantic movement in Canadian literature; his poems frequently display a romantic view of nature and humanity.
Tags
Nature · Fantasy · Mythology · Poetry · Symbolism · Spirituality · Religion · Ecology · Environment · Wilderness · Forest · Trees