University English Literature: Comparative Analysis of Two Poems

This essay provides a comparative analysis of two poems, 'First Snow' by Mary Oliver and 'Planet Earth' by PK Page. The essay explores the different thematic depictions of nature in both poems, with 'First Snow' using vivid imagery to describe the beauty of a snowfall and 'Planet Earth' using analogy to express concern over the impact of humanity on the environment. The essay highlights the poems' use of literary devices, such as personification and simile, and delves into the underlying messages conveyed to the readers. It discusses the emotional impact of each poem, emphasizing the sense of peace and happiness in 'First Snow' and the sense of pain and concern in 'Planet Earth'. The essay concludes by suggesting that while both poems express love for nature, their approaches and impacts differ significantly, with 'Planet Earth' carrying a more urgent social message about environmental responsibility.

Running Head: ENGLISH LITERATURE
Topic- Compare and contrast of poems Planet Earth and First Snow
Student name
University name
Author notes

2ENGLISH LITERATURE
Both the poems ‘First Snow’ by Mary Oliver and ‘Planet Earth’ by PK Page express the
beauty of nature, one uses imagery and the other used analogy (Asuncion, and Lino). But their
thematic depiction of nature is different. In the first poem, First Snow the writer provides a
beautiful picturization of the first winter snow fall and how it enhances the beauty of everything
in its way ("Poem Of The Month: First Snow, Mary Oliver | Welcome To The New
Journalverse!"). First snow is a descriptive poem written in free verse with no repeated rhyme
scheme, structure. and meters. It provides a clear visualization of change of seasons and explains
the underlying truths of real world. The 35-line poem flow takes away the reader to that
environment and provides peace of mind. Simile of ‘trees like castles of ribbons’ adds to snowy
imagery and ‘fever flowing’ alliteration is aptly used here. Snow is being personified in the first
7 lines and this rhetoric and oratory approach provides academic personality learning. Winter
snowy symbolism is relevant to the unknows and dark sides of life and the last line ends with
answering the question.
On the other hand, Planet Earth is basically an allusion love poem glosa for mother Earth
("Planet Earth"). It is inspired by the first four lines of a poem by Pablo Neruda. Here the poet
used quatrain and expresses her feelings about what entire humanity is causing mother Earth and
expresses pain in this piece of writing. It has an embedded meaning of natural outcropping of
Earth in it, under the magic of words. Earth is being compared to cloth, embroidery and folk art
with birds and flowers. The poet wants to provide a lesson to the readers about the harm being
caused to Earth by various human activities.
The theme of a poem lies in the underlying meaning it tries to provide to its readers.
Themes in poems are as varied as human life uncertainties and here both poems irk the inner
introspection in humans (Samanik). Here both poems show love for nature theme. But way of

3ENGLISH LITERATURE
depiction is different. In the first poem, First Snow the love for nature is shown directly through
beautiful visualization of snow fall and how the surroundings are beautified as a result of the
snow ("Poem Of The Month: First Snow, Mary Oliver | Welcome To The New Journalverse!").
It has a feeling of happiness and peaceful mind. In the other poem the love for nature is also
depicted but in relation to the concerns of it. The Earth is negatively impacted by the human
activities in modern times and the poet wants the readers to have a look about the need for caring
for Earth (Samanik). What should be done is emphasized the most in every line and there is a
feeling of pain associated to the poem. Humanity should try to love and care for mother Earth
instead of creating harm to it, knowingly or unknowingly.
The second poem, Planet Earth is more appealing to the readers as its dialogue spread is
wider in comparison to First Show. Covering entire humanity and its effects on Earth is
described in a very lucid manner here and the readers will have a long-lasting impact reading the
poem. Their rationale will increase and so will their awareness for preserving nature and Earth
("Planet Earth"). The pain of the poet will flow to the readers as well and the consequences will
be impactful. First snow will provide self-mental integrity of happiness and sadness and readers
will cherish it as well but the impact will not be as long-lasting as Planet Earth. Planet Earth has
a social message in it and entire humanity will be forced to rethink their communal activities in
order to save mother Earth. Pain is such a feeling that is ever lasting where as happiness is for a
moment only (Samanik). Planet Earth is penned in such a way that comparison will take the
reader away and their thought process will synchronize with that of the writer. In this manner the
depth of appeal will enhance and whole humanity need to come forward to save mother Earth.

4ENGLISH LITERATURE
Works cited
"Planet Earth". Ecospherics.Net, 2019, http://www.ecospherics.net/pages/PagePlanetEarth.html.
"Poem Of The Month: First Snow, Mary Oliver | Welcome To The New
Journalverse!". Journalverse.Com, 2019, https://journalverse.com/poem-of-the-month-
first-snow-mary-oliver/.
Asuncion, Jahnese D., and Marlina L. Lino. "Lexical Patterns And Cohesiveness Of Selected
Poems: Bases For Deriving Themes". International Journal Of Languages, Literature
And Linguistics, vol 3, no. 3, 2017, pp. 149-156. Ejournal Publishing,
doi:10.18178/ijlll.2017.3.3.125.
Samanik, Samanik. "Teaching English Using Poetry: An Alternative To Implement Contextual
Teaching And Learning". Journal Of ELT Research, vol 3, no. 1, 2018, p. 21. University
Of Muhammadiyah Prof. Hamka (UHAMKA), doi:10.22236/jer_vol3issue1pp21-28.