Rooted Voices: Intertwining Humanity and Nature in Mary Oliver’s “The Black Walnut Tree”

Monobina Nath

Human interaction with and passion for the environment, as advocated in poetry, is encapsulated in the genre known as ecopoetry. This genre is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach that combines knowledge of ecology with poetic expression, creating a balance between human needs, interests, traditions, and the natural world.

The roots of ecopoetry can be traced back to the Romantic Era (1780–1830), though its prominence diminished during the Victorian Era (1837–1903). It gained renewed recognition in the latter half of the 20th century, particularly with the emergence of ecocriticism.

Ecocriticism, as a literary theory, is multidisciplinary and highlights themes of environmental justice, nature’s peripheries, and interconnectedness, delving into the studies of the human mind, cultures, and societies shaped by the natural world.

Ecopoetry often addresses issues related to working-class struggles, racial prejudices, and intersectionality, as depicted in the works of poets like Muriel Rukeyser, Ross Gay, Camille T. Dungy, Martín Espada, and Gary Soto. On the other hand, poets such as Mary Oliver, Gary Snyder, Wendell Berry, John Clare, Alice Oswald, and Seamus Heaney celebrate spirituality, bioregionalism, land ethics, memory, and classical mythologies to showcase the intricate emotional web of nature and narratives that shape our lives.

In Mary Oliver’s eco-poems, tension and a sense of responsibility are evoked among readers, especially in her poem “The Black Walnut Tree”, featured in her 1979 collection Twelve Moons. The poem conveys that the walnut tree represents more than just financial relief; it embodies intrinsic values related to ancestry, familial bonds, and the promotion of ecological wholeness. Oliver writes, “the black walnut swings through another year… month after month, the whip-crack of the mortgage.” . This line captures the resilience of the walnut tree, emphasizing its continuity amidst human financial pressures, while the metaphor of the “whip-crack” starkly illustrates the harshness of economic obligations that threaten its existence. Oliver’s work urges the preservation of nature for future generations, making it a cornerstone of her contributions to ecopoetry.

In “The Black Walnut Tree”, Oliver navigates the tension between anthropocentrism and ecocentrism, as well as the dichotomy between individualism and collectivism, ultimately valuing nature for its own sake rather than for monetary gain.

After 1910, the inclination of modernists and later postmodernists toward themes of alienation, disillusionment, and fragmentation expanded into untold realms of literature, bringing new perspectives, languages, and retellings of stories, and the recognition of a distinct genre. Ecopoetry forges a vital interconnection between humans and non-human entities by addressing pressing issues such as climate change, deforestation, and sustainability while stimulating a sense of responsibility toward the environment. In The Song of the Earth, Jonathan Bate (2000) argues that poetry may “speak for the trees” and call for new environmental ethics, highlighting the significance of ecopoetry in tackling sustainability and deforestation issues.

T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land (1922) is an early example of poetry reflecting ecological concerns, critiquing the environmental and human degradation brought about by industrialization. This is vividly depicted in the line, “Unreal City, under the brown fog of a winter dawn” (Eliot, 1922, lines 60–61). Poets like Charles Olson in “The Kingfishers” (1949) critique Western logocentric thinking, while Muriel Rukeyser’s The Life of Poetry (1949) promotes eco-ethical concerns and environmental sustainability (Rukeyser, 1949).

“I am sensual to be spiritual,” Mary Oliver, an American poet and Pulitzer Prize awardee, writes in Winter Hours (1999). Her writing embodies a strong connection to the Romantic tradition of nature. Recognized as “this country’s best-selling poet” (Longenbach, 2008) Oliver explores the healing power of the larger universe through her work.

In her poem “The Black Walnut Tree”, Oliver captures the voice of a modern naturalist, portraying the societal struggle to balance human needs with ecological responsibility. Instances such as “We could sell the black walnut tree / to the lumberman,” followed by “we’d crawl with shame / in the emptiness we’d made / in our own and our father’s backyard,”  illustrate this tension and the emotional weight of environmental decisions.

“The Black Walnut Tree” by Mary Oliver is a thirty-five-line poem written in free verse, with short, staggered lines and a single stanza. The opening line introduces a clear debate—”My mother and I debate”—on whether to sell “the black walnut tree,” setting the stage for a sense of urgency (Oliver, 1979). Here, the “debate” symbolically represents the internal conflict (intrapersonal communication) that leads the mother and daughter to engage in metacognition in this modern, anthropocentric world. The free verse suggests that the solution regarding the tree is not rigid but open-minded.

The tree in this poem symbolizes deep, rooted stories; the legacy of the past enriches the present and lays the foundation for an interconnected future. This legacy gives us identity, heritage, and cultural pride. The image of its “roots in the cellar drains” suggests an intricate web of familial bonds, connecting tradition with modernity.

The description of “our roots in the soil” highlights the shared existence of every species on Earth, and the tree’s “heavy shade” symbolizes humanity’s burden of keeping the tree in its place—its motherland.

The tone of the poem is primarily meditative, with underlying notes of urgency and melancholy. The meditative nature of the tone is reflected in the lines:

We talk slowly,

Two women trying in a difficult time

to be wise.

This thoughtful consideration gives voice to the modern naturalist women of the late 20th century. The practical need for financial relief creates tension, adding a layer of urgency as they contemplate selling the tree, and, in essence, selling their identity to a stranger. Beneath the surface, there is also a note of melancholy, as the speaker acknowledges the “dream” of her father, followed by the “shame” and the “emptiness” they would feel if they lost their father’s backyard. The central theme of the poem is the interconnectedness between humans and the environment. The lines:

Something brighter than money moves

in our blood—

an edge sharp and quick as a trowel

that wants us to dig and sow.

These lines emphasize the value of collectivism over individualism, suggesting that humanity is a byproduct of nature. Nature is in our blood—that is, the preservation of traditions and cultural continuity is essential to building identity and belonging.

In Ecopoetics: The Language of Nature, Scott Knickerbocker (2012) emphasizes the materiality of language in ecopoetry and describes it as a non-anthropocentric approach to nature that fosters awe and connection between people and the natural world. (Knickerbocker, 2012). Other themes revolve around the ethics of ecological preservation, the emotional and moral conflicts surrounding environmental exploitation, and the legacy of inheritance.

In “The Black Walnut Tree”, the speaker taps into the voice of her ancestry and reflects on her “dream” of her “fathers out of Bohemia / filling the blue fields / of fresh and generous Ohio / with leaves and vines and orchards.” The tree, as a metaphor, reminds the speaker of her duty and respect toward her ancestors, prioritizing cultural and familial ties over economic convenience. The poem subtly critiques the modern, materialistic lifestyle—characterized by rationality, scepticism, individualism, economic pursuits, and the separation of high and low culture. This lifestyle also fosters a sense of alienation. The term anthropocentrism, coined by Val Plumwood (1993), refers to the belief that humans are separate from and superior to other animals and the environment. Modern humans have adopted these anthropocentric mental models, which can be observed through the language and actions we use to engage with the world. (Plumwood, 1993)

The philosopher Franco “Bifo” Berardi (2009) suggests that it is only through language that we can see and create a new human condition. He argues that escaping the technical automatisms of financial capitalism is crucial for the emergence of a new life form, one that embraces a more harmonious relationship with the natural world. (Berardi, 2009)

Like Mary Oliver, Elizabeth Bishop, in her poem “The Fish” (1946), also engages with the concept of consumption and exploitation of nature. The act of releasing the fish in “The Fish” symbolizes a moment of listening to nature’s call, an ethical response to the ecological world. Many eco-poems use metaphors related to trees, rivers, or animals to represent resilience, balance, or the fragility of life.

The conflict between individualism and collectivism, as well as between anthropocentrism and ecocentrism, is deftly handled by Mary Oliver in “The Black Walnut Tree”. The internal conflict between the mother and daughter about whether to take down the tree to get financial assistance represents a much bigger conflict between anthropocentrism and ecocentrism. The poem critiques materialistic tendencies and shortsighted choices that prioritize profit over preservation. Today, as we face global crises of deforestation, climate change, and the exploitation of resources, Oliver’s words resonate with urgency. Harold Fromm (1996) argues that ecopoetry often serves as a subtle form of activism, creating a space for dialogue that can lead to real-world action. Poets, in this sense, become environmental advocates, using their words to inspire movements that seek to preserve ecosystems and combat climate change. (Fromm, 1996)

Oliver skillfully demonstrates that the tree is a living memorial rather than merely a piece of wood to be sold. In this way, she champions nature not for its utility, but for its intrinsic, sacred value—a value beyond any price tag. The poem leaves readers contemplating their relationship with nature and the broader environmental implications of their everyday decisions.

References

1. Bate, J. (2000). The Song of the Earth. Harvard University Press.
2. Berardi, F. (2009). The Soul at Work: From Alienation to Autonomy. MIT Press.
3. Bishop, E. (1946). The Fish. Houghton Mifflin.
4. Eliot, T. S. (1922). The Waste Land. Faber & Faber.
5. Fromm, H. (1996). Ecocriticism: The Growth of a New Literary Theory. Oxford University Press.
6. Knickerbocker, S. (2012). Ecopoetics: The Language of Nature. University of Massachusetts Press.
7. Longenbach, J. (2008, December 7). American poetry’s place in the world. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/books/review/Longenbach-t.html
8. Oliver, M. (1979). “The Black Walnut Tree”. In Twelve Moons. Little, Brown.
9. Plumwood, V. (1993). Feminism and the Mastery of Nature. Routledge.
10. Rukeyser, M. (1949). The Life of Poetry. Paris Press.

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