Comparison Of Ode To Enchanted Light By Mary Oliver

Nature expresses beauty in marvelous ways as it is also mysterious in particular ways that make us wonder. In the lyric poems “Ode to Enchanted Light”, written by Pablo Neruda, and “Sleeping in the Forest”, written by Mary Oliver, both poets express their appreciation for nature through the poems. The poets use their personal style of writing by using certain elements to express their thoughts about nature within the lines of the poem. Both writers had used figurative language in their writing to convey their perspective on nature similarly but also differently.

In the poem “Ode to Enchanted Light”, the writer uses simile to describe the element in nature, light, that he praises in his poem. He says, “...light / like a green / latticework of branches / shining / on every leaf / drifting down like clean / white sand.” These words give a sense of soothingness and calmness, as Neruda is trying to describe nature in this way. He also uses metaphor as he says, “The world is / a glass overflowing / with water.” Neruda may be saying how nature is abundant with our needs as it provides

everything for our survival such as “water”. These examples of figurative language may suggest that Neruda’s perspective on nature is of how it is beautifully peaceful and full of essential resources that all inhabitants of earth need.
In Mary Oliver’s poem, “Sleeping in the Forest”, she uses figurative language to convey her perspective on nature as well.

She says, “I thought the earth / remembered me, she / took me back so tenderly, arranging / her dark skirts, her pockets / full of lichens and seeds.” The figurative language Oliver uses here can be identified as personification as the speaker describes how the earth cared for her as if she were at home, similar to how a mother would do to her child. She also says, “...but my thoughts, and they floated / light as moths...All night / I heard the small kingdoms breathing / around me…” Simile and personification is used in this section of the poem as the speaker describes how her thoughts floated like moths, and the kingdoms around her “breathing” in the night. From the examples given, we can suggest overall that Mary Oliver views nature as home and is alive

always.
Both writers may use figurative language in similar ways to convey their perspective on nature, though they also use it differently from each other. Pablo Neruda uses simile in “Ode to Enchanted Light” to describe how light is “like clean white sand”, while Mary Oliver uses simile to show how her thoughts were like “light as moths among the branches of the perfect trees.” Also, Neruda used metaphor instead personification to express the idea of how the earth plentiful of resources and prospering with life. Both authors may use the same figures of speech, yet they are used differently in terms of words to describe different subjects.
Both writers used figurative language to convey their perspective on nature similarly, but also differently. A deeper meaning is uncovered within the usage of figurative language as it reveals both of the writers’ true perspective on nature entirely. After all, nature is naturally majestic and perfect in every category, it performs as a sanctuary to all living species, and is abundant with resources provided to us that we utilize daily.