In the poem called “Report To Wordsworth” written by Boy Kim Cheng. The poem depicts a very negative image, which is that destruction of nature is imminent if mankind continues to colonialize and urbanize. In order to convey this image of the current natural world, the author uses language devices such as figurative language (personification, similes and metaphors), visual imagery, alliteration, contradiction and tone.

Throughout the poem, the writer uses visual imagery in order to create this pessimistic feeling of today’s current natural. And that mankind is losing its special connection with nature, as we are busy with “getting and spending”. The author shows the importance of natures as he uses a capital letter when writing Nature. This consequently makes the word “nature” be considered as a great value. The author then uses phrases such as the phrase “Smothered by the smog,” (line 2) (which contains alliteration), exemplifies the idea that humans or anything associated with human activities are destroying nature. Such as in this case the pollution, that comes out of vehicles. In addition just like in William Wordsworth sonnet called “ The World Is Too Much With Us”, Cheng illustrates an image that if humans continue to colonies and urbanize, then the birds ; which symbolizes life and different species would become extinct, and consequently the planet would lack any life and harmony.

In Addition, tone, symbols and repetition are of great importance in the poem. During the whole of the poem, there is a tone of great sadness. This is reinforced by the expression “She has been laid waste “ (line 2). This expresses the slow degradation and perhaps even the destruction of nature, which is irreversible. This sad tone is even worsening when the smog smothers nature. Also in line 3, the combination of flowers and mute, indicates the end of growing and symbolizes a slow death. This is image of a slow death and process of degradation is constantly being repeated such as in the expression “ slowing like a dying clock”. Additionally, this phrase is ambiguous, as the clock that is dying loses its essential function, which it has been created. The clock in this case, is a symbol of natures meaning that it is also losing this important function, which is of making the world a harmonious, living place.

Contradicting what is said in William Wordsworth’s sonnet, the Gods who are the most powerful beings there are unable to overcome the destruction of nature. Proteus; who is a shape changing sea-god is not “rising from the sea” like in William Wordsworth’s sonnet, but is doing the direct opposite action which is sinking and not rising from the sea (line 5). With the utilization of contradiction (between sinking and rising) and the personification between Proteus and him being “entombed in the waste materials we dump”, with contradiction and personification Cheng clearly creates this image which shows that even the Gods failed to prevent this eminent destruction of nature and that there are utterly useless. Triton would have the same fate as Protues, as he would be choked and dazed and the simile of Neptune being as helpless “as a beached whale” (line 9) which shows again a image of death, truly shows how powerless these gods are against the slow death of nature. Furthermore, the author illustrates an image of the blindness of humans who do not realize that we are destroying one of the most important foundations on the planet, which is the nature. The author symbolizes the negative aspect that we are causing as “man moves in for her kill’.

Finally, the author uses many literature techniques in order to convey this horrible image that nature, which sets harmony into this world is being destroyed by human activity, and that even the intervention of the Gods of sea in order to avoid this slow degradation of nature has failed. All the things Wordworth hoped for such as an attempt to restore the survival of nature of the Gods, has failed and that the elimination of nature is at its peak.