Nature as the Sanctum for Introspection in Roethke's “Meditation at Oyster River”

The talent of Roethke is best seen in his poem “Meditation at Oyster River,” where the poet merges nature and introspection. While some might believe that the natural elements in the poem are simply part of the setting, these vivid images are intertwined with the concept of eternity and manifest the speaker’s rising understanding of a timeless existence. This can only be explained by observing in more detail Roethke’s life and his connection to nature. Nature, to Roethke, establishes a meditative tone that helps the speaker grasp the Buddhist concept of impermanence and leads to self realization, a process that can be understood from Jungian psychology as regression and progression, the two energetic transformations of the soul.