Biomimicry in Wendell Berry’s Poetry
Biomimicry is often used in poetry to find inspiration and guidelines in nature. For example, Wendell Berry was a poet and farmer who had his vision of how a person should relate to nature. In his poetry, Berry is aware that man is part of the natural cycle and that his existence is impossible apart from nature. Therefore, a person must respect the environment so that it allows them to continue living.
“Manifesto”
For example, in his poem “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front,” the poet says, “go with your love to the fields.” Berry compares nature to a pregnant woman; therefore, people should also respect nature as “a woman near to giving birth.” Before interfering with the natural order of things, a person should consider the consequences of this for future generations.
Moreover, nature tells a person how to behave in society. Berry claims to “be like the fox who makes more tracks than necessary, some in the wrong direction.” Only in this way will a person be able to maintain control over their life and not transfer it to politicians and authorities.
Biomimicry in Wallace Stevens’s Poetry
Another example of the biomimicry theme is the poetry of Wallace Stevens and the poem “The Snowman.” The poet’s main statement in this poem is that a person must keep a cold mind and not succumb to external stimuli to look at the world objectively. For example, Stevens says, “one must have a mind of winter” to notice frost and branches of the pine-trees crusted with snow.”
Personal dramas and experiences should not affect how a person sees the world and should not prevent one from seeing the beauty of nature. However, these guidelines can be used in any situation in human life. For someone who wants to see the truth, “the sound of the wind” and “the sound of a few leaves,” external factors should not matter.