Glossary of Poetic Terms

Classically, an idyll is a pastoral poem about shepherds. In more contemporary contexts, an idyll is often seen as similar to a pastoral or descriptive poem depicting a peaceful, idealized, rural scene or setting. It often celebrates the beauty of nature, rural life, and the harmony that can be found between people and the natural world. Idylls typically evoke a sense of tranquility and nostalgia, as well as a longing for a simpler, rural way of life.Well-known historical examples of the idyll include “The Shepherd” by William Blake and “To Autumn” by John Keats. Contemporary examples, which often challenge, question, or complicate the idealized assumptions of the idyll and place the rural landscape in contrast with the urban, include James Wright’s “Lying in a Hammock at William Duffy’s Farm in Pine Island, Minnesota,” Ariana Benson’s “Hotbeds in Norfolk, Virginia,” and Tracy K. Smith’s “Watershed.”