Turtle Island Poems: Part Two

The Real Work

     This poem's main theme seems to be the ocean and how it is the "real work." I believe Snyder is saying that the ocean is the only thing that should be changing the earth, not humans. People are always attempting to change nature, creating man-made "lakes" and "rivers," but it's not the job of the humans. The only work to be done is the "real work" by nature itself, like the ocean.

It Pleases

     In this poem, the main theme is the White House and how the government does nothing. "The world does what it pleases" suggests that, despite the government being the power and law of the land, they truly have no power and people will do what they want, despite the law.

For The Children

     The main theme of this poem is how the earth is soon ending. "The steep climb of everything, going up, as we all go down" states that although we're growing as a society, our world is going down - the environment is dying.


     "The Real Work" and "For The Children" both tie into the "nature" theme that Turtle Island seems to carry out, but "It Pleases" talks about government and society itself.