An Environmental Reading of The Rivers Resume Their Laughter: “The Earth” as a Case Study

Abstract

The study examines a poem that portrays the earth as a living, feminine cosmic entity, using environmental imagery to express the interdependent relationship between humans and nature. It presents natural elements as active agents that both reflect human efforts to understand and control nature and expose the limits of those efforts.

Using eco-critical and narrative approaches, the research analyzes imagery, structure, and discourse to highlight the dynamic human–environment relationship. It contributes to eco-critical readings of contemporary Arabic poetry by showing how poetry fosters ecological awareness and reimagines nature as a partner in existence, while also extending a long-standing tradition in Arabic literature.

The study ultimately explores how the poem constructs environmental meaning and reveals a balanced ecological vision. It is divided into two parts: one on environmental vision and human–earth relations, and another on the role of environmental imagery in shaping poetic meaning.

Keywords: Environmental Poetry, Contemporary Arabic Literature, Ecocriticism, Human-Nature Relationship, Natural Imagery, Poetic Discourse, The Earth as a Living Entity, Environmental Consciousness, Metaphor and Poetic Imagery.