Tall Nettles is about contrasts. Edward Thomas compares the natural growth of the nettles to the man-made objects - 'the springs, the rusty harrow, the plough'. Man-made things are 'long worn out' by springs of water, the many springs (the many change of seasons - time), but yet it is because of these natural things that the nettles thrive. No matter how clean and cultivated the farmer tries to make his yard, the dust and nettles will always survive - the refreshing rain 'springs' which gives the sense of purifying; only helps nature to grow, and at the same time corrodes man-made things. Not only does the poet consider nettles (nature) to be above unnatural things, but also he deems nett ...view middle of the document...
The doe clearly sees the humans as intruders - she does not fear them. The use of words 'love', 'forgetting', 'sighed' and 'safe' helps to set the reader at peace, giving the impression that nature is not in any hurry, it is to be enjoyed, as the couple in the poem are enjoying it. However this poem shows that man is often an intruder into nature. The 'barbed-wire building' which halts the couple, the tumbled wall and the humans 'like some up-ended boulder split in two', trying to blend in with nature, but failing - the doe sees them. Despite their intrusion into the doe's habitat, she shows no fear - if we are careful like these people, we can appreciate nature, but we must be careful how we intrude into it. There is another contrast in this poem. When the doe moves away and the couple are left stunned by their close encounter, 'a buck from round the spruce' appears, and contrary to the doe, he is aggressive 'why don't you show some motion' and defiant - they are in his territory, he is superior, snorting and with 'jerks of head', challenging them to move 'I doubt if you're as living as you look'. The buck does not consi...
