| Pine Tree Tops by Gary Snyder relates to | | | | poem faster while reading. Unlike other poems |
| nature, the senses, and the ecosystem. Examples | | | | written with long, metered lines, this one is short, |
| are the images of blue night, frost haze, and | | | | ends quickly, and moves to the corresponding line |
| moon's glow in the first stanza. The second gives | | | | more hastily. However, this could be a hindrance |
| a combination of symbolic colors as the poem | | | | to one who races through the poem, unlike a |
| increases in intensity; for example: bend snow | | | | poet who is cautious and more observant while |
| blue, frost, and starlight. The third continues with | | | | reading with a connotative interpretation of each |
| an abrupt disturbance of nature with the | | | | word instead of just a denotative one. |
| interference of a human boots, which generate | | | | The poem is written in three stanzas of three |
| prints with rabbit and deer tracks. These | | | | lines each. One could divide the poem into three |
| perceptions also appeal to the senses and bring | | | | unrhymed stanzas of haiku poetry. The traditional |
| Christmas to mind. Additionally, the short lines | | | | haiku has seventeen syllables; however, a |
| impact the poetic flow thus making the poem | | | | contemporary haiku has less than seventeen |
| divisible. Finally, the poem ends with a rhetorical | | | | syllables as the three haikus in this poem. |
| point for interpretation. | | | | Additionally, the traditional haiku poem has a kigo |
| First, the poem appeals to the senses with | | | | word which relates to nature or seasons of the |
| sensory details in various ways such as, the | | | | year. Furthermore, when the nine lines are divided |
| seeing of colors and hearing the creaking of boots. | | | | into three lines each, one will find a seasonal word |
| It also allows for the smelling of pine trees and | | | | of nature in each of the three haikus. For |
| feeling the dampness of frost against the skin. | | | | example, in the first haiku there is frost haze. The |
| Finally, and more likely than not, the imagery | | | | second haiku with three lines has frost; starlight. |
| brings to focus the tasting of venison from the | | | | The third haiku has rabbit and deer tracks which |
| fresh prize of a deer hunting trip in the woods. | | | | become obvious in the snow at winter time. |
| Next, this poem relates to Christmas in several | | | | Finally, the poem ends with a rhetorical question in |
| ways. The most significant is a person searching | | | | the form of a declarative statement regarding the |
| for a pine tree to use as a Christmas tree. Being | | | | reader's knowledge. This leaves the poem open |
| outside in the woods makes this imagery of | | | | for interpretation to a reader. Obviously, a clear |
| disturbing the ecosystem clear. The pine tree tops | | | | cut answer does not exist in this scenario, thus |
| relate to the top of a Christmas tree; a pinnacle | | | | making the poem very interesting to read and |
| on the top with starlight frost down the sides. | | | | contemplate regarding the intent of the author. |
| Third, the topography of short lines moves the | | | | |