The rainbow
In the first poem, the major character in the poem is attributed with having built the rainbow. Nature however turns against him and struck it a lightning, destroying it. The rainbow is a symbol used in this context, used to make reference to the happy times in the protagonist’s life. The shack the protagonist builds on the shores of the lake is another symbol which has the same meaning.
The bear
The bear is the major symbol in the poem ‘The Bear on the Delhi Road'. The bear is captured by two men who abuse it and hurt it. The bear eventually has no other choice but to do what it is told and be obedient. The bear is used in this context as a symbol for nature. Just like the bear was made into a docile animal by the two men, nature is changed on a deep level by the actions of humankind.
Nature as dangerous
One of the common motifs in the poems ‘The Bear on the Delhi Road' and ‘Bushed’’ is the idea that nature is extremely powerful. Nature has power over the men in the poems and the narrator makes it clear that is possible that women will never manage to be stronger than nature.
Temptation
In most of the poems, there are women who appear in various circumstances. The women are presented as walking in the streets, turning eyes and seducing men. In this sense, they are described as being dangerous because they have power over the men who see them. They are also used as symbols in the poems, standing for temptation and sin.
Lamps
In the poem ‘’Vancouver Lights’’ the narrator mentions a string of lights stretching all over the world. The lights originated in Europe and then slowly moved from one continent to another. The lamps bring light to the continents they are on and make the lives of those living under their lights a lot easier. The lamps are used here as a symbol, the lamps being used to suggest technological advancement, something that makes life easier in many ways.
