Perched on the Past
Gouache on a salvaged cover.
Sara Teasdale
1884 –
1933
(War Time)
There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;
And frogs in the pools singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white,
Robins will wear their feathery fire
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;
And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.
Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree
If mankind perished utterly;
And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn,
Would scarcely know that we were gone.
Sara Teasdale's poem 'Perched on the Past' carries profound reflections on nature's serenity amidst human turmoil. Teasdale, an influential American lyric poet, often intertwined themes of love, loss, and nature's quiet endurance in her works. In this particular piece, she captures the essence of a world that continues its rhythms regardless of human strife. The imagery of soft rains, singing frogs, and blossoming plum trees evokes a vivid tableau of life's persistence. Through her writing, Teasdale suggests that nature is indifferent to mankind's issues, highlighting an ecoart perspective that emphasizes the separation between human conflict and the natural environment. This theme resonates strongly today, as environmental concerns remain relevant amidst ongoing global unrest. Linked to hashtags like #gouachepaint and #darkart, this article invites readers to appreciate Teasdale's artistry through various lenses, including vintage poetry and ecoart. Her work remains a poignant reminder of our shared humanity juxtaposed against the timeless beauty of the natural world. Readers are encouraged to reflect on the legacy of such poetry and its relevance today, as they explore the intricate relationship between nature and the human experience.
