December 19, 2025
Thanks to Alissa Simon, HMU Tutor, for today’s blog.
As the holiday season arrives, many of us find ourselves moving at a frenzied pace. To counterbalance the fury, I like to sit with a poem. Since HMU is also entering the holiday break, I figured that featuring a poem would also invite you into this practice. Use the next few weeks to explore the poem at your own pace. We will return in January with a new set of Fellows in Ideas and new ideas in general.
I recently attended a poetry conference hosted by the Great Books Council of San Francisco. At this conference, Nicholas R. Jones (poet, professor, translator) gave a fascinating presentation on pastoral poetry. The following few defining features of pastoral poetry are gleaned from Dr. Jones’ lecture. I am greatly indebted to both his research and the Great Books Council of San Francisco for such a wonderful topic.
First, although it focuses on nature, pastoral poetry is about people. It discusses art and form but does not require any strict adherence to form. While considered mostly a secular genre, pastoral poetry leans on divinity and spiritual deities. Whimsical creatures such as fairies and nymphs work their way into its lines. Pastoral poetry often addresses a political or emotional disconnect, an injustice or unfair social circumstance.
Dr. Jones listed many fantastic examples of pastorals such as: Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” Robert Frost’s “The Pasture,” Virgil’s “Eclogues,” and Christopher Marlowe’s “Passionate Shepherd to His Love.” Examples abound, but if you feel the urge to continue reading and research, those might be places to begin.
As for today’s poem, I will leave you with Emily Dickinson’s “It Sifts from Leaden Sieves” written in 1862. This poem never names snow, though it falls on everything, including the reader. Enjoy the embrace.
It sifts from Leaden Sieves - (291), By Emily Dickinson
It sifts from Leaden Sieves -
It powders all the Wood.
It fills with Alabaster Wool
The Wrinkles of the Road -
It makes an even Face
Of Mountain, and of Plain -
Unbroken Forehead from the East
Unto the East again -
It reaches to the Fence -
It wraps it Rail by Rail
Till it is lost in Fleeces -
It deals Celestial Vail
To Stump, and Stack - and Stem -
A Summer’s empty Room -
Acres of Joints, where Harvests were,
Recordless, but for them -
It Ruffles Wrists of Posts
As Ankles of a Queen -
Then stills it’s Artisans - like Ghosts -
Denying they have been -
Happy Holidays from HMU!
Photo credit: Shutterstock/ Kenth05
