Hill is the author of a poetry collection, has published widely in poetry journals, and is an associate editor for a university communications department. In the following essay, she contends that the peacefulness and beauty of nature described in the poem serve as evidence of Teasdale's acute cynicism toward humankind.

For as long as human beings have been writing poetry, fiction, and philosophical or religious essays, they have addressed the conditions of the world around them. Some writings have tried to teach moral lessons through everything from didactic preaching to ribald comedy, and some have simply presented themselves as lamentations on hopeless situations and the downfall of man. Still other writings have celebrated the human condition, telling stories of great achievements, great romances, and great friendships. Of course, most writers prior to the nineteenth century were men, and much of the poetry and other writing that addressed...