"This is a collection of poetry by one of America's foremost naturalists. Before Thoreau became famous for Walden, he was primarily a poet. A transcendentalist by heart and a perfectionist by nature, Thoreau used his poetry to exercise his craft as an essayist. His writing has been described as having "the vividness of a painter, and the scrutiny of a naturalist." Emerson exclaimed that Thoreau's poetry was "the purest and loftiest to sound" in the then "unpoetic American forest." For his subject matter Thoreau chose what mattered most to his life: unity. How does one live in both nature and society, and lead a moral life?" "This is a book about nature and our world, and how we relate to them. It is meant to be a visual and auditory treat for all who love nature, art, and the music of language. Today, Thoreau's poetry serves as a lens through which we can observe his view on nature and humanity. Beautifully illustrated with 54 full color watercolors by Homer, Sargent, LaFarge, Newman, Hallowell, Wyeth, Hassam, and many others, this book has relevance for anyone who loves and cares about poetry, art, conservation and nature."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved