Nature Imagery in Coleridge's "To William Wordsworth"

Introduction: Romanticism and Nature in Coleridge's Tribute

Romantic era poets like Coleridge and Wordsworth both relied heavily on nature imagery to convey core themes, and nature often became a theme unto itself. In "To William Wordsworth," Coleridge writes accolades for his friend using many of the tropes of Romanticism, including the liberal use of nature metaphors to commend Wordsworth's creativity. The metaphors are mainly encapsulated by the spirit of springtime and the ebbing of energy that seasonal rebirth entails. Elements of nature in "To William Wordsworth" include the tumultuous transition from winter into spring, with its attendant storms, as well as the swelling and ebbing of energy that comes from gestation, procreation, and birth.

Birth and Gestation as Metaphors for Poetic Creation

In "To William Wordsworth," Coleridge shows that poetry and the act of creating poetic verse are akin to the mystery of creation itself. Coleridge uses analogies of pregnancy and birth to underscore the parallel between creative writing in poetic form and the act of procreation. For example, he writes of "momentary stars of my own birth / fair constellated foam…now a tranquil sea, / Outspread and bright, yet swelling to the moon." The word "swelling" refers not only to the swells of tides in the ocean but also to a mother's belly as she swells with child. "Swelling" also evokes the surge of the creative spirit in the moments prior to the act of generation in artistic pursuits like poetry.

Moreover, Coleridge compares his relationship to Wordsworth to the natural relationship between a child and its mother in any animal species. Coleridge assumes the role of the child, looking up to and idolizing his friend's creativity much as a child admires and depends on a mother for wisdom, teaching, and sustenance: "In silence listening, like a devout child, my soul lay passive, by thy various strain." Most creatures are born weak and dependent, requiring both silence and passivity to absorb the wisdom passed down from the mother. Coleridge thus uses natural imagery related to procreation for two distinct purposes. The first is to liken creative writing to the creation of all life on Earth. The second is to connect Wordsworth with the concept of motherhood and portray him as a mother figure in the poetic universe. As an influential poet, Wordsworth is hailed as a generative force whose boundless creativity inspires Coleridge.

Springtime Imagery and the Wellspring of Creativity

Corresponding with the imagery related to birth and creation, Coleridge also relies heavily on springtime metaphors in "To William Wordsworth." Springtime is a motif that appears regularly throughout the poem, and because spring is the season of rebirth, baby animals, and flower buds, it makes sense that Coleridge would connect motherhood and springtime when discussing Wordsworth's poetry. Coleridge refers to the nature of "vernal growth," which is akin to the wellspring of creativity flowing from Wordsworth's pen. During spring, many plants and animals experience a revitalization after months of winter stagnation. The ice and snow of winter begin to thaw and melt, revealing currents of impassioned thought. As winter thaws, rivers and waterfalls swell — new streams of water that serve as metaphors for new streams of ideas in a poet's mind. These streams of new water in springtime are the "tides obedient to external force," which is of a spiritual nature.

Conclusion: A Spiritual Love Expressed Through Nature

The poem "To William Wordsworth" epitomizes Romantic era poetry because of its impassioned and unrestrained emotionality, its nostalgia, and especially because of its reliance on natural imagery. Without using overtly sexual imagery, Coleridge nevertheless speaks to procreation by continually referencing the creative process. "To William Wordsworth" therefore lacks homoeroticism even though it is essentially a love poem from one friend to another. By comparing Wordsworth to a mother, Coleridge empowers his friend to explore his potent feminine energy and commends him for churning forth magical words from the often chaotic and dark forces of nature. "Amid the howl of more than wintry storms, / The Halcyon hears the voice of vernal hours." Whereas some poets might buckle under the howl of wintry storms, Wordsworth is instead able to fly "on the wing" of creation.

Coleridge writes an ode to his friend not because he seeks romantic union, but because he wants to express his sheer admiration, much as he would express admiration and love for a beautiful creature in nature or a lovely landscape. The love communicated in "To William Wordsworth" is a transcendent, spiritual love — which is why Coleridge concludes his poem with the line, "I found myself in prayer."

In "To William Wordsworth," Coleridge uses a few key nature metaphors to laud his friend and fellow poet's work. The main nature metaphors include the rebirth of life during spring, the powerful and sometimes painful process of transformation symbolized by storms and surges, and the tranquil beauty of remarkable landscapes that result from "vernal growth." Motherhood and gestation also feature prominently, as the titular poet is likened to a universal mother. The creative spirit in poetry is the same force that causes the generation of life on Earth, according to Coleridge — yet few poets have the talent to capture the wonders of life and creation as well as Wordsworth does. The only effective means of paying homage to his friend is through a typically Romantic poem replete with nature imagery like "To William Wordsworth."

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. "To William Wordsworth."