Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Gary Snyder’s "As for Poets" is a meditation on different poetic temperaments, metaphorically linked to the classical elements—Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Space, and Mind. Each type of poet is characterized by their relationship with nature, energy, and perception, reflecting Snyder’s deep ecological consciousness and Zen-influenced worldview. The poem does not establish a hierarchy among these poet-types but instead illustrates the diverse ways poetry engages with the world, embodying movement, stillness, endurance, and dissolution.

The Earth Poets are introduced first, and they "write small poems", needing "help from no man." This presents them as self-sufficient, grounded, and close to the land. Their work is unpretentious, unadorned, and perhaps timeless—akin to Snyder’s own style, which often focuses on simplicity and natural imagery. These poets draw their strength from the earth itself, mirroring the way nature functions without external validation or intervention.

The Air Poets are described as playing "out the swiftest gales / And sometimes loll in the eddies." This suggests poets whose work is quick, light, and ephemeral—perhaps lyricists or improvisational poets who embrace spontaneity. The mention of "poem after poem, / Curling back on the same thrust" evokes cyclical movement, a self-referential quality that recalls wind currents or the way poetic forms, such as haiku or song, can repeat and echo.

The Fire Poets stand apart with their extreme intensity. The stanza begins with stark, practical imagery: "At fifty below / Fuel oil won't flow / And propane stays in the tank." This establishes a setting of absolute cold, an inhospitable environment where fire is paradoxically most necessary. Yet "Fire Poets / Burn at absolute zero", meaning their passion and energy persist even in the coldest, harshest conditions. They are described in terms of "Fossil love pumped backup", an intriguing phrase that might allude to deep reserves of emotion or memory—like fossil fuels, their fire comes from something ancient and buried. These poets might be revolutionaries, mystics, or visionaries whose words burn even in times of stasis and adversity.

The Water Poet is presented as deeply immersive, someone who "stayed down six years." This suggests a poet who disappears into experience, absorbing the depths of existence rather than staying at the surface. Covered "with seaweed", they emerge transformed, their poetry leaving "millions of tiny / Different tracks / Criss-crossing through the mud." This resonates with the idea of poetry as an organic force, subtly shaping the landscape over time. The water poet’s legacy is one of fluidity and interconnectedness, their influence diffused rather than direct.

The Space Poet embodies vastness, containing both "the Sun and Moon / In his belly." This evokes cosmic scale, making the poet a kind of celestial vessel. "No end to the sky— / But his poems, / Like wild geese, / Fly off the edge." There is something transcendent about this poet’s work, as if it refuses containment, always seeking new horizons. The imagery of wild geese recalls traditional Japanese and Chinese poetry, where migrating birds symbolize change, impermanence, and freedom. The Space Poet’s work exists at the threshold of perception, always expanding beyond it.

The final category, the Mind Poet, is paradoxical. They "stay in the house", yet the house is "empty / And it has no walls." This aligns with Zen philosophy, where emptiness is not nothingness but an openness to all things. The Mind Poet does not venture into nature or movement but instead perceives existence in its entirety from a single vantage point. Their poem is "seen from all sides, / Everywhere, / At once." This could refer to a poet of pure thought, one who dissolves distinctions between self and world, inside and outside, form and formlessness.

Through these elemental archetypes, Snyder offers a broad vision of poetry’s relationship to the natural world and human perception. Each type of poet represents a way of being—earth-bound and self-sustaining, airy and playful, fiery and relentless, submerged and transformative, expansive and celestial, or purely of the mind. The poem does not privilege any one type over another; instead, it suggests that poetry, like nature, thrives in multiple forms, each with its own necessary place. Snyder’s ecological and Buddhist sensibilities shape the poem’s perspective, emphasizing interconnection, impermanence, and the many ways in which poets engage with the world.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...