The poem describes the beauty of nature in Jamaica. It notes that Jamaica does not experience four distinct seasons, but instead has periods of intense sunshine and rain. During the rainy season, the rain falls heavily and trees struggle in the strong winds. However, the best days are when the rainy season ends and nature comes back to life with blossoming trees filling the air with scent and sound. The poem appreciates the natural beauty of Jamaica in contrast to countries with different climates and seasons.

1. Nature
By H.D Carberry
Prepared by Miss Tang (Theo2014)

2. Choice of words
• covered with
• bear flowers
• names of local Jamaican trees
• cut and gathered
• uncultivated
• fragrance
• moves gracefully
• very brightly/ gloriously
• healthy and strong
• channel/ ditch

3. Vocabulary
Word(s) Meaning
Lush healthy and strong
Reap cut and gathered
Sways and shivers moves gracefully
Paved covered with
Blossom bear flowers
Gullies channel/ ditch
Guango trees/ logwood names of local Jamaican trees
Scent fragrance
Fallow uncultivated
Magnificently very brightly/ gloriously

4. Literal Vs Figurative Meaning
Line 1 -2
• Jamaican unlike countries
with temperate climates,
does not have 4 seasons of
spring, summer, autumn and
winter.
Line 1 - 2
• It may appear that we, who
come from different races
and places, do not have the
same in life.
We have neither Summer nor Winter
Neither Autumn nor Spring

6. Literal Vs Figurative Meaning
Lines 3 - 5
• Jamaica has instead bright
days when the weather is
very hot and the gold sun
shines brilliantly on the
fields rich with green sugar
cane.
Lines 3 - 5
• However, we all do have
good times when
everything is bright and
pleasant and things that
bring joy in their own ways.
We have instead the days
When the gold sun shines on the lush green canefields-
Magnificently

9. Literal Vs Figurative Meaning
Line 6 - 9
• During rainy season, the rain
falls heavily and beats with such
force on the roof of houses.
• We can only hear the water
rushing through the gullies.
• The trees have to struggles
against the strong winds.
Line 6 - 9
• At times, life is a struggle
and we may face many
problems.
• Life may not be pleasant
anymore because the road
ahead is full of obstacles.
The days when the rain beats like bullets on the roofs
And there is no sound but the swish of water in the gullies
And trees struggling in the high Jamaica winds.

11. Literal Vs Figurative Meaning
Line 10 - 12
• At other times, trees shed
their leaves and the field are
left bare.
Line 10 - 12
• At times, life is a struggle
and we may face many
problems.
• There will be times when
certain things go beyond
our control and we have no
choice but to let them be.
Also there are the days when leaves fade from off guango
trees
And the reaped canefields lie bare and fallow to the sun.

13. Lines 11 - 15
• The best days are when Earth is alive
again.
• Fruit trees, like the mango and
logwood, bloom and the bushes are
full of bees and the fragrance of
honey.
• The grass grows tall and moves to the
slightest breeze. The field are covered
with yellow buttercups that look like
shinning stars and nature bursts with
beauty after rainy days have gone.
Lines 11 - 15
• But we will also get the chance to
experience the best times of our life.
• We have go through bad days in
order to appreciate the good days.
• When these good moments occur,
everything goes right and we enjoy
life to the fullest.
• Then, we realize that everyone is
actually getting the same things in
life, only in different ways.
But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood
blossom
When the bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey,
When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air,
When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow stars
And beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone.

15. UNDERSTANDING THE POEM
Lines 1 to 10
• The poet tells about his homeland , Jamaica
and rejoices the beauty of this island. Jamaica
has no seasonal changes. It has a tropical
climate which is hot and wet throughout the
year. The days of golden sunshine are glorious
and magnificent. The are many canefields in
Jamaica as sugar is one of the main exports in
this country.

16. Lines 11 to 15
• In the ending of the poem, the poet tells us
his favourite time – days when the flowers of
mango trees and logwood blossom. He uses
imagery of sound and smell to illustrate
abundant life and activity in the bushes when
the ‘sound of bees and the scent of honey’
add to the charm and beauty of Jamaica. He
describes the fields filled with lovely yellow
buttercups. All this happens when the rains
have stopped and the beauty of nature
emerges once again.

17. THEMES
• Beauty of nature
• Appreciation of one own country
• Appreciation of nature
MORAL VALUES
• We should appreciate what we have in our own
country
• We should not long for what we do not have.
• We should appreciate our homeland.
• We should appreciate the beauty of nature.

18. TONE,MOOD, ATMOSPHERE
• Appreciative and happy
• Carefree and light-hearted
• Sense of beauty
POINT OF VIEW
• Third person point of view

19. POETIC DEVICES
• Imagery – e.g. ‘gold sun’, ‘lush green fields’, ‘trees struggling’
• Alliteration – e.g. ‘sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air’
• Symbols – e.g. ‘gold sun’ – symbol of summer, ‘rains’ – symbol of
winter
• Contrast – e.g. ‘beauty’ or summer is compared with ‘rains’ or winter
• Figurative Language – Simile – ‘rain beats like bullets’
• Metaphor – e.g. ‘the buttercups paved the earth with yellow stars’
• Personafication – ‘buttercups have paved the earth’ … buttercups
have been personified as having laid tiles
• Onomatopeia – e’g ‘swish’