The speaker emphasizes the purpose of life, the beauty of nature, and the relationship that humanity has with the natural world. She delves into the existential questions about creation and the complexity of our ecosystem. Through a small insect, the speaker describes the workings of the natural world that are mysterious and meaningful at the same time.
The poem opens as the speaker ponders on the phenomenon of creation by asking the reader a rhetorical question. She proceeds to ask who created creatures in the natural world such as the black bear, swan, and grasshopper. Rather than choose one of the huge animals, she picks the grasshopper that she is engaging with while in the field. She describes how the insect eats sugar from her palm and chews horizontally unlike humans who chew vertically. Moreover, highlights the complex eyes of the grasshopper before the insect gracefully flies away. The first part of the poem focuses on the elements in nature that remain unnoticed by humans who hardly pay attention.
In the second part, the speaker mentions the nature of prayer and the purpose or meaning of human life. Through the instinctual behaviors of the insect, she parallels how she interacts with her physical environment. She decides to wander in the natural world akin to the grasshopper as it undergoes its biological life cycle. Therefore, she introduces the subject of mortality and the fleeting nature of life. As such, ponders on how to spend her life and consequently asks the reader in what manner will they spend theirs. By illustrating the intricacy of a small part of nature, the speaker highlights the complexity and enormity of nature.
