Summary Of Ode To Dirt By Sharon Olds

Ode to Dirt Analysis Sharon Olds’s “Ode to Dirt” is dedicated to nature's beautiful and awe-inspiring power, specifically the dirt. “Ode to Dirt,” first published in 2016 as part of Sharon Olds’s poetry collection, Odes, follows the poetic style of an ode in praising the dirt. I chose to analyze “Ode to Dirt” because its title was reminiscent of a classical piece I enjoyed: “Ode to Joy.” Sharon Olds's poem stood out because of its unusual subject matter for its celebratory tone; “Ode to Dirt” celebrates something often overlooked and underappreciated. Another thing that drew my attention was the conversational nature of the poem; Sharon Olds directs the poem to dirt and writes it from a first-person point of view. The first thing I looked at to analyze “Ode to Dirt” was its framing as an apology.

The idea that the dirt deserves an apology is unexpected for the audience and sets up the idea that expectations need to be challenged. Another piece of “Ode to Dirt” I focused on was similar. Sharon Olds(2016, 5-7) writes: “It’s as if I had loved only the stars / and not the sky which gave them space / in which to shine.” The simile highlights the idea that, although dirt is in the background, it is still an influential and necessary part of life. The theme of “Ode to Dirt” is that we must appreciate nature. The theme of “Ode to Dirt” is highlighted through a call to action when Olds(2016, 17-18) writes: “O dirt, help us find ways to serve your life,” in other words, humanity needs to work towards harmony with nature. The idea that we should be subservient to dirt’s purpose highlights the power and influence of dirt in our lives. I found it helpful to my understanding of the poem to connect its message to “My Heart Leaps Up” by William Wordsworth. I realized that both poems focused on the love of