The nature lover's knapsack: An anthology of poems for lovers of the open road

"The nature lover's knapsack" by Edwin Osgood Grover is an anthology of nature poetry written in the early 20th century. It gathers lyric poems that celebrate the open road, wild places, and the seasons, aiming to be a pocket companion for walkers, campers, and lovers of the outdoors. The selections span many English and American poets and are organized by themes such as travel, gardens, trees, the sea, and sky.

The opening of this anthology presents front matter, a personal dedication, and a brief essay, “On Knapsack Carrying,” in which the editor likens life’s essentials to treasures we carry—memories of sky, sea, hills, and birds—then invites readers to “walk afield with the poets.” He explains that the book is a friendly guide rather than a reference, favors lyric poems, and acknowledges permissions and influences before laying out a detailed thematic contents list. The first section, “The Lure of the Road,” launches with verses of wanderlust and escape from city life (Masefield, Shepard, Garland, Driscoll, Towne, O’Reilly, Whitman, Service, and others), celebrating travel, camping, fishing, and the call of wild places. It then turns to “Green Things Growing,” a bright sequence on gardens, rain, dandelions, grass, and birds that blends delight with quiet spiritual reflection, and finally begins “The Kinship of the Trees,” where trees are personified as companions and teachers, deepening the book’s reverent, outdoor mood.