Bushed - Earl Birney

Introduction 

The poem Bushed by Earl Birney explores themes of loneliness, mental collapse, and the overwhelming power of nature. It is full of symbolism and emotion. Birney describes a man who loses his sense of reality after escaping into the woods using poetic language and striking pictures.

A Man's Retreat into the Natural World
A man decides to leave society and seek solace in the peaceful surroundings and partakes in little daily activities.
"He created a rainbow, but it was hit by lightning."
The uncontrollable forces eventually destroy his attempts to discover beauty and significance in nature.

A hostile nature

The forest changes over time, from a place of calm to a dangerous force. The man starts to feel exposed and insignificant as the natural environment begins to feel threatening. Nature serves as a metaphor for something more vast and enigmatic than man can comprehend in this poetry.

"The bush rolled the rocks over him."

Nature is actively working against him rather than merely serving as a backdrop. It turns into an unstoppable force.

A Slip Into Horror and Madness
The man becomes more terrified. He starts to experience hallucinations and believes that the very elements of nature are after him. Instead of bringing him beauty and tranquillity, the moonlight makes him feel afraid.

---

Introduction: Humanity Versus the Wilderness

Earle Birney's “Bushed” immerses readers in the rugged wilderness of northern Canada, where raw and unpredictable natural forces take centre stage. The narrative chronicles a trapper's struggle for survival, highlighting the stark contrast between his solitary existence and the vibrant, untamed landscape that surrounds him. Birney explores the psychological toll of isolation, the fragility of the human spirit, and the tension between man and nature.

Biblical Allusion and the Futility of Human Creation

The poem opens with the striking line:

"He invented a rainbow but lightning struck it."

This powerful image immediately sets a tone of disillusionment. The rainbow alludes to the Book of Genesis, where God uses the rainbow as a covenant to promise never again to destroy humanity.however, the rainbow is “invented” by the trapper—suggesting human effort or imagination—and is instantly obliterated by lightning. Nature dismisses this human-made symbol of hope and control. Birney is suggesting that nature, indifferent to human aspiration, may not honor the promises we associate with divine order. The lightning signifies nature’s dominance and undermines the trapper’s attempts to impose meaning on his environment.

Adaptation and Naïve Confidence in the Wild

In the second stanza, Birney describes how the trapper begins to adapt to his surroundings:

"He built a shack on the shore, learned to roast porcupine belly 

and wear its quills in a roach crest."

This depiction emphasizes the man’s resourcefulness and early success in living off the land. His wearing of the quills "in a roach crest" (a mohawk-like hairstyle) could even be seen as a symbol of pride or bravado, suggesting a sense of dominion or harmony with nature. Yet beneath this moment of confidence lies a hint of overestimation—perhaps a dangerous underestimation of the wild’s power and unpredictability. Birney’s use of detailed imagery invites admiration but also foreshadows the trapper’s eventual unraveling.

The Living Landscape and Psychological Tension

The mountain that looms over the trapper’s life is a powerful symbol in the poem. Birney writes:

"the mountain was clearly alive 

and its breathing changed with the sun and the moon."

This personification of the mountain reinforces the idea that nature is not static—it is a dynamic, almost sentient presence. The trapper becomes attuned to its rhythms, but this sensitivity gradually shifts from reverent observation to fear. The mountain becomes a silent force watching over him, embodying the psychological pressure that isolation exerts. The trapper’s initial harmony with nature turns into a haunting relationship, as the wilderness seems to respond to and reflect his inner turmoil.

Descent into Madness and Powerlessness

As the poem progresses, the trapper's sense of reality begins to deteriorate. Birney notes:

"He saw the hill move in his dreams and the logs of his roof float 

and the silver of fish in the moon."

These dreamlike, surreal images suggest the blurring of the boundary between reality and hallucination. The natural elements—hill, roof, fish—no longer remain stable or grounded. The trapper’s mind, once pragmatic and focused on survival, becomes unmoored. Ultimately, he loses the ability to act or escape:

"He crouched on a log / watching the stars flash out and the great wind go 

by and said he was learning the language of the wind."

Birney poignantly illustrates the final stage of the trapper’s psychological breakdown. The man becomes passive, a silent observer of cosmic forces beyond his understanding. The “language of the wind” may represent either a spiritual revelation or a complete dissociation from reality.

Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale of Isolation

In “Bushed”, Earle Birney presents a haunting meditation on the power of nature and the vulnerability of the human spirit when confronted with solitude and the sublime. Through vivid imagery, allusion, and symbolism, Birney traces the arc of a man who begins with confidence and capability, only to be gradually undone by the very landscape he once thought he could master. The poem serves not only as a tribute to the wildness of Canada’s north but also as a psychological and philosophical exploration of human limits.