Themes in Five Turtle Island Poems

The works in Gary Snyder’s collection of poems, entitled Turtle Island, all share many similar themes. These themes deal with what man today is doing to nature, and, how people treated nature in the past, and what needs to be done to help nature heal and become what it once was. Five of his poems, “Dead by the Side of the Road”, “Steak”, “Front Lines”, “Control Burn”, and “Anasazi” all contain some or all of these themes.

“Dead by the Side of the Road”

This poem is the story of 5 different animals: a Red-tailed Hawk, a skunk, a Fawn, a Ringtail, and a Doe. Each animal lies dead on the side of the road, all having been killed at the hands of a human. Some were road killed, others shot. The road symbolizes the far reach that people have throughout nature, as roads, especially the interstates that are the setting of this poem, can go deep into wilderness. This means that nature has no escape from the negative impact inflicted by man, as symbolized by the animals, killed by people who are blazing their way through nature and destroying everything in their path. The animals decay, dry up, and even wither away on the polluted shoulder of the road. This demonstrates how, after humans have gone and done their dirty work to nature, they leave lasting negative effects that linger long after they have left.

“Steak”

“Steak” is about a trip to a steakhouse, and then out to the farm where the cows are raised. On the outside, the steakhouse is colorful and cheerful looking, reflecting the way that man masks the damage it does to nature as a good thing. By the farm, it is describe how the cows are fed grain from “the ripped-off land”.  The people eating in the steakhouse seen to be blissfully ignorant of where their food is coming from, especially the “Japanese-American animal nutrition experts/ from Kansas,/ with Buddhist beads”. Japan, America, and Buddhism generally have nothing to do with each other. This shows how ignorant most Americans are about where their food comes from. The fact that they are nutrition experts further proves that point.

“Front Lines”

This poem is essentially about a losing battle that nature is fighting with mankind. The process that is described is very similar to an invasion; at first the growl of the approaching bulldozers and log trucks is heard. They stop to make way for the realtors and land-grabbers, who survey the land and plan the attack. Then, once everything has been portioned out, the invasion force moves in, destroying everything in its path without mercy, all for the benefit of a few greedy people. This one event is happening all over the world, and Snyder says that it cannot go on any longer. The rest of the forest, which so far has been untouched, must be saved. Like how an invaded people would form a resistance to stop an invasion, we must create a resistance against this utter destruction of nature.

“Control Burn”

In “Control Burn”, Synder describes how Native Americans used to use fire in order to burn away the bush that was encroaching on the trees in the forest, so that the trees could grow tall and be healthy. The Indians respected nature and used it wisely, but fire can destroy when used improperly, and so too can people in America, who no longer respect nature. Instead they destroy everything with no regard for nature. If Americans treated nature like the Indians did before them, the world would be a better place.

“Anasazi”

“Anasazi” describes the lives of the Anasazi Indians, who were a tribe that lived in settlements inside the sides of cliffs. They lived a simple life, and existed alongside nature, and also with it all around them. Snyder says they are “Sinking deeper and deeper in earth”. They are becoming a part of nature, by quite literally digging into the earth and living there. In this way they coexist with nature and share it with the rest of the world.