Miguel Hernández's Poetic Nature: Themes and Imagery

Miguel Hernández: A Poetic Connection to Nature

Miguel Hernández, from his early years, developed a profound connection with living nature, which granted him his first insights into life. His opening lines reflect the ripples of a teenager who sought to transfer to paper the simplest, everyday events of life—those he observed daily. His work, therefore, speaks of sensory poetry, visual and audible manifestations that reveal the close connection between Miguel Hernández's poetic craft and daily life.

Everyday Poetry and Influences

This type of poetry can be described as "everyday," as if written through his very eyes. His focus is on the landscape of Orihuela and a modernism that echoes the styles of Vicente Medina and the bucolic manners of Salamanca's Gabriel y Galán. He also draws from the peasant life related to the environment where he developed and Salvador Rueda's penchant for creating colorful landscapes. These are, ultimately, reminiscent of his primary literary influences.

Nature's Canvas in Perito en lunas

In his first book of poems, Perito en lunas, Hernández beautifies nature through the extensive use of literary devices. The lunar orb, a symbol of fertility, appears even in the title. He evokes beauty through various plants:

• Lilies
• Tuberoses
• Wallflowers
• Carnations
• Roses

But not only flora; fauna is also an integral part of his natural corpus. Animals like the sheep, often likened to women; the bull, with which he identifies; or the bee, the nightingale, and the rooster are used poetically to express the passion of love.

Key Natural Elements and Their Symbolism

Water, a hypernym encompassing the river, sea, and rain, serves as a fundamental natural constituent. He sings to the Segura River, which crosses Orihuela; the Manzanares, passing through Madrid; and the Mediterranean Sea. He also dedicates several compositions to the palm, such as "La palma," "Palmas," or "La palma levantina." Nothing is as significant as the fig tree, which becomes a symbol of masculinity and virility.

Rain at times appears linked to blood; at other times, it is accompanied by thunder, lightning, and storms. The term "ray" (or "beam") is used by Miguel Hernández to title one of his books, El rayo que no cesa, symbolizing the tragic fate of love. Storms are heard roaring in his verses, and thunder, as used in "Elegy I," defines Federico García Lorca as "thunder of combs."

Another important atmospheric phenomenon in Miguel Hernández's poetry is wind, a natural force that embodies the values of peace and freedom. The land is another transcendent component in his poetry. Miguel Hernández conceived it as a mother, witnessing his birth and welcoming him after his death, thus making it a profound source of poetic inspiration.

Nature Amidst Conflict and Time

Even during the war, the poet did not neglect nature; a poignant example of this is found in the poem "Ausencias de España." Additionally, for Miguel Hernández, timing is also eminently poetic in nature. The arrival and departure of day and night, and the changing seasons, embody time. "¡Llegó con tres heridas!" and "Mayo, horizonte" are two emblematic compositions alluding to the time factor.