Many poets are the ones who are more attracted to natural sceneries and the natural environment than anything else. Nature is an important element of earth, and poets use nature in their poetry to admire its beauty. In the selected piece of the poem named “Sunset” by Tu Fu, the main theme of the poem is based on the beauty of a sunset. Sunset is a process of nature in which every day the sun rises and sets in a particular manner. The beautiful aspect of sunset is that it is a very mesmerizing time or moment that attracts everyone towards it. Tu Fu aimed to picture the beauty of the sunset by providing its important features and glimpses that attract the attention of the audience.
The poet wants to portray the imagery of sunset and different moments that arise during the time of sunset. He added many different features of sunset, including the natural elements such as birds, flowers, scents, valleys, insects, and the natural scent of the gardens. The scene of sunset is the last element of the day and ends the day with its beautiful charm. The sunset is the last part of a day that changes a day into the night. Whenever the sun sets in the west, the night arrives, and the day ends. Tu fu wanted to portray this beautiful time of sunset in his poem to show the audience his interest in nature as well as his admiration towards nature. The poet targets the rural and bucolic aspects, and he added several features of natural beauty to link it with his sunset representation.
The poet wanted to depict his attachment towards nature with this beautiful pattern of the sunset that arrived daily in the world. According to his perspective, the end of the day with the sunset pattern is filled with sensation. The elements used by the author, including “Sunset glitters on the beads / Of the curtains;” We see “Spring flowers / Bloom in the valley;” and we smell the “perfume” of the gardens, are some elements that show the clear attachment of poet towards the natural beauty of the sunset and its surrounding environment. The author uses strong words to depict the real imagery of the action verbs. According to Tu Fu, “We have beads that “glitter,” see flowers that “Bloom.” It shows that the poet is quite simple in expressing his emotions towards the beauty of nature. The blooming flowers are an important aspect of sunset, and at the time of sunset, these blooming flowers start their journey towards sleep. The flowers, gardens, birds and other important elements of nature end their journey in the evening when the sun sets in the west. It is considered as the last thing or an alarm that spreads the message that the day has ended and now it is the time of night.
Tu Fu consistently praises the beauty of the sunset and links it with small other things such as birds. For the birds, the sunset is an alarm that reminds them to move back towards their nests and homes so that they can enjoy a good night’s sleep, as most birds are not able to see in the dark. So, sunset helps most species, and it is time for them to return to their homes. Tu Fu states that “Smoke of cooking / Fires drifts over the slow barges.” It simply refers to the fact that at sunset, people start making dinner on the fire and work to cook their food to eat at night. The day ends, but the humans have to have dinner at night, so they have to prepare their meals after the sunset.
Moreover, the poet stated that “Sparrows hop and tumble” and “Whirling insects / Swarm…” show that birds and insects are doing their routine activities. The insects are the ones who hum and buzz in the air, and at sunset, each of the animals, insects, and birds starts their journey towards their homes and towards their families. At night, people prepare their food for dinner, and birds and insects are busy with their work all day long but rest at night after sunset. All these works indicate the pattern of sunset.
The poem is simply written and based on the pattern of the sunset, which reminds the poet about the sensational time of the day. Tu Fu aimed to picture the beauty of the sunset by providing its essential features and glimpses that attract the attention of the audience. He added a different glimpse of the sunset and included several other natural elements such as spring flowers, gardens, rivers, perfumes, the smoke of cooking, sparrows, branches and one cup of concentrated wine. Tu Fu added valuable natural elements to attract the attention of the audience and show his interest in all-natural elements that are added to the poem. The poem is a complete reflection of the beautiful time of sunset at which the birds return to their home after their long day journey, and humans start to make food for their dinner at night. The sunset is the last part of the day, and it is a clear indication of the fact that the day has ended and the night arrived.
Works Cited
“Sunset – Tu Fu.” Wenaus.org. N.p., 2018. Web. 13 Apr. 2018.
