GAIA

Shreedhar Lohani, Nepal (1944-)

Gaia is a beautiful poem composed by Shreedhar Lohani. He is one of the most famous, loved and respected name in English Department. He is a renowned Nepali writer, critic and poet. Prof. Lohani has achieved his degrees from Tribhuvan University and the University of England and the U.S.A. He has taught English literature in English Department for several years. Lohani's poems are influenced by the romantic writers. In this poem ‘Gaia’ means the earth. The title of the poem comes from Greek myth. In Greek myth, Gaia (also called Gaea) is considered to be the Goddess for earth. Hence, Gaia is the symbol or personification of mother earth or nature. The poem is about nature which is the main subject matter of romantic writers. Nature is mother, a feeder, care taker and the one who nourishes. Indeed, it is nature that sacrifices, endures all the difficulties and gives life to her generations. As a mother, nature or the earth is gentle. As a female she is not only delicate but also ruthlessly cruel who can even kill others if she got angry. Such anger of the earth towards human beings can be seen in the form of storm, landslide, flood, tsunami, wind, and volcanic eruption. So, nature is paradoxical because she is the source of creation and destruction. She creates life on the earth and destroys the life when she desires. In this sense, Lohani has presented earth not as dead space but like a human being who contains both good and bad qualities. This poem has only 12 lines and is in two stanzas. More then rhyme other literary language; the use of metaphors is very much strong. 

Though nature is goddess, she is all surrounded by threats and challenges.The poet shows that the earth or Gaia is in pain. But she is capable of taking care of herself and enduring everything. The earth is gentle: feminine nurturing but also cruel to those who exploit her. To show how death lives in all the parts of earth, poet has used many death images. Lohani begins with the image of wind which is surging (Rise or move forward) very hot wind which has made the entire palm tree wither (lose freshness/ fade) away. He writes that the rain which is generally supposed to be the source of life is in fact devouring (destroy completely) the life itself. The poet most probably is referring to the floods which occur time and again and sweep away human settlements by the image of devouring rain. We must not forget the point that the poet has personified all the images which he has used in this poem. There is sea on the earth but the sea is opening its mouth like cave to eat whatever comes to her hand or grip. Similarly, the mountain which is supposed to be a source of entertainment, a source of relaxation and pleasure is compared with the beak of a bird which tortures and wounds its prey (Animal hunted or caught for food). If we think on the time, we come to know that nature is the source of everything. It was the time which had produced the best civilizations and given birth to greatest scientific inventions but the poet here uses time merely as an agent which plucks (destroys) everything. Poet Lohani writes that entire world shrouded (covered) with mildew (bad smell).

The world is described as a house which has been covered by hunger from all the sides. Then, the second last line of the poem contradicts with all destructive qualities of earth with her another quality because the earth tolerates all these obstacles (challenges, threats and difficulties) because she knows that there is no creation without destruction. Hence, earth alone can show the best way to live life. That is, we should not be afraid of the difficulties of our life because they might have occurred to sharpen us so that we can do the best in our life.

Interpretation:

In the poem, the different physical things turn into the devastating demons. The rain is devouring one, the sea has cavernous froth mouth, mountain peaks are snowless and the whole nature is being more exploited day by day and it's bringing lots of natural disasters. But whatever happens, the mother earth is enduring us. The author is optimistic about the life of human beings as he thinks that the mother earth will never stop feeding and providing life to us. 

The writer equally presents the careless activities of human beings which are creating a number of problems in the environment. Mother earth, "Gaia" is so much tolerant that whatever people do upon her she calmly accepts them. But it might also indicate that to the extreme point of toleration She may turn towards revenge of heedless action upon her. There may be anti-action that will be far more destructive to human beings. This revenge has been foretold in myths in ancient cultures also.

Critical Thinking:

The six metaphors used in the poem; wind, rain, mountain, sea, time and the house have bought different area of the earth. Hot wind is destructive to palm tree that cause to destructive rain. The sea and mountain as well as time are giving torture constantly. The house stands here as the earth in general. But like mother to nourishment of child Goddess Earth or Mother Earth tolerates how much injustice done upon her. Careless human beings are sheer cause of the destruction of earth and its beauty.The poem written based on Gaia hypothesis is really convincing. Though we can rise a question of existence of God at present but the current ecological problems of the world are not less serious.

Assimilation:

The poem gives a clear concept of an ecological destruction due to reckless activities of human beings. It gave me an insight that if domination is at the extreme, there will be revenge as well. I quickly remembered the poem "Gods Grandeur" by G.M. Hopkins. Here the poet has presented careless money-minded people who are running after power, wealth having no faith on kind God. Yet God will take care to all plants and creatures like a hen to brood her eggs.

The poet has appealed us to think about the earth seriously. After reading this poem I understood that Gaia (Earth) is in real pain and if we continue exploiting her, she may not endure and strike us back. This poem also instructed me to respect and love the mother nature or the earth.