Instructions

Question

Read the poem below then read the question carefully. Record your answer in the text box.

Spring

By Mary Oliver

Somewhere
a black bear
has just risen from sleep
and is staring

down the mountain.
All night
in the brisk and shallow restlessness
of early spring

I think of her,
her four black fists
flicking the gravel,
her tongue

like a red fire
touching the grass,
the cold water.
There is only one question:

how to love this world.
I think of her
rising
like a black and leafy ledge

to sharpen her claws against
the silence
of the trees.
Whatever else

my life is
with its poems
and its music
and its glass cities,

it is also this dazzling darkness
coming
down the mountain,
breathing and tasting;

all day I think of her -—
her white teeth,
her wordlessness,
her perfect love.

What do the speaker’s descriptions of the bear reveal about the speaker’s attitude toward nature? Support your answer with evidence from the poem.

Answer 1

The speaker's descriptions of the bear reveal a deep admiration and reverence for nature. The bear is depicted with vivid and evocative imagery that emphasizes its beauty and power. For instance, the speaker describes the bear's "four black fists flicking the gravel" and its "tongue like a red fire touching the grass," which portrays the bear as a dynamic and vibrant presence in the natural world.

Furthermore, the phrase "how to love this world" indicates that the speaker sees the bear—and nature as a whole—as a source of inspiration and a vital part of existence. The speaker's contemplation of the bear rising "like a black and leafy ledge" suggests a sense of connection and appreciation for the bear's role within the ecosystem. The mention of "this dazzling darkness" coming "down the mountain" conveys a sense of wonder and enchantment that the speaker feels toward the wilderness.

Overall, the speaker’s attitude is one of awe and respect, as they recognize not only the bear's physical presence but also the deeper significance of nature and its influences on their life. The speaker's musings on "poems and music" juxtaposed with the raw power of nature highlight the profound impact that the natural world has on their creativity and understanding of love.