Gary Snyder: The Use of Image
Gary Snyder is a historic poet throughout the late 1950s. In his prior life before becoming a poet Snyder travelled the world and has lived in some of the most scenic areas in the world. Born in Washington state and raised in Oregon Snyder was born into scenic views and mountaintops. As he grew he also traveled across Japan, which is a again a place filled with beauty. Being exposed to all of this natural beauty and views led to Snyder becoming one of the best writers at utilizing image. Though most of his work is short, Snyder looks to tell the story of his work through his vivd imagery.
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In Snyder’s work, the reader is typically given a pemise of what the story may be about but then is given a plethora of scenic images which paint a picture in the readers mind. This is seen in his work RIPRAP, in which he begins with “Lay down these words before your mind like rocks”(290) to set the mood and help the reader begin to place an image. He then goes on to use his imagery to describe “Granite: ingrained with torment of fire and weight. Crystal and sediment linked hot all change, in thoughts as well as things ”(291). Snyder uses the simile “Lay down these words before your mind like rocks” to set the tone of describing through vivid imagery to show the relationship of a human and the natural world through complex imagery.
The Portable Beat Reader. pp 290–291
