Pastoral Aesthetics and Environmental Awareness: An Ecopoetic Comparative Study in Nature Imagery of the Selected Poetry of Tracy K. Smith and Kathleen Jamie

Abstract

The present study shows comparative analysis investigates the ecopoetic contributions of Jamie Kathleen and Tracy K. Smith, shedding light on their approaches to environmental and racial issues. Inspired by Heideggerian ideas, Kathleen's Jamie ecopoet, exemplified in works like "The Gather”, “Hawk and Shadow,", “The Longhouse" and "The Overhaul," intricately examines the interdependence of human and nonhuman entities.  The Scottish landscape serves as a backdrop, emphasizing the poet's belief in the landscape's role in shaping personal and cultural identity. In contrast, Tracy K. Smith expands the boundaries of ecopoetics by intertwining environmental degradation with racial injustice. Examining poems such as "Watershed”, “An Old Story," and "The Wade in the Waterland" Smith envisions a future where reevaluating relationships with the land and society leads to positive change. Both poets echo Heidegger's assertion that human existence is inseparable from the surrounding world, challenging conventional ecopoetic norms and urging an engagement with ecological and social complexities. This analysis provides an exploration of the diverse thematic concerns and perspectives offered by Kathleen Jamie and Tracy K. Smith within the scope of eco-poetry. The study draws upon Martin Heidegger's philosophy as an ecopoetic methodology to understand how the poets represent the relationship between humans and their environment, the role of language in shaping our perception of the environment, and the current aspects of ecological consciousness. Results showed that the two poets, by using nature imagery, had given much attention to the current problems of climate change and keeping the environment clean and healthy for future generations.