ure. The bending trees, falling snow, and calm earth show how nature prays and connects man with the divine.
Nature As Divine Presence: The poet sees nature as a form of God. When the snow covers the earth and trees bow, it creates a sacred image. The poet writes,
“The earth lying inscrutable like the face of a god in a shrine.”
This line shows that the earth itself looks holy, like a god’s face. Nature becomes a temple of silence and purity.
Symbol Of Prayer And Devotion: The poet compares the bending elm trees to “white-robed Moslems salaaming at evening prayer.” This picture shows that nature worships like human beings. The trees, covered in snow, bow in humility and faith. The poet finds prayer not in words but in movement, stillness, and peace.
Spiritual Peace In Silence: The quiet snowfall gives the poet a sense of inner calm and unity with nature. The silence becomes spiritual, where both earth and man rest together. The poet feels that peace and purity are forms of divine blessing. Through silence, he reaches a higher level of understanding and faith. That’s why he says,
“I awoke to the silently falling snow”
In the poem, Gabriel Okara shows that spirituality lives within nature. True religion, for the poet, is not found in rituals. It is in the natural harmony between man, nature, and the divine.
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