I love the univers,—I love the joy
Of every living thing. Be mine the sure
Felicity, which ever shall endure;
While passion whirls the madmen, as they toy,
To hate, I would my simple being warm
In the calm pouring sun; and in that pure
And motionless silence, ever would employ
My best true powers, without a thought's annoy.
See and be glad! O high imperial race,
Dwarfing the common attitude of strength,
Learn that ye stand on an unshaken base;
Your powers will carry you to any length.
Up! earnestly feel the gentle sunset beams;
Be glad in woods, o'er sand; by marsh, or streams.

The speaker of William Ellery Channing's poem, like all Transcendentalists, just loves nature. Heck, the poem is called "Nature." Why's it such a big deal? Because nature brings joy, because it's peaceful, because it's just cool. The poem suggests that while our emotions come and go, nature remains solid and steady through all.

So. The speaker's celebration of nature in this poem reflects the Transcendentalists' obsession with nature as a theme. Not only does nature bring peace and joy—as the speaker in this poem so gleefully and calmly tells us—it also brings wisdom and knowledge. Is it any wonder we call it Mother Nature? Mommy knows everything.

This is a sonnet: a poem written in fourteen lines, usually with ten syllables per line, and utilizing rhyme. We can see all of these elements in Channing's poem above.

The sonnet form allows Channing to make a big point in a succinct way. Fourteen lines isn't much, after all. But in the space of those lines, Channing manages to convey to us all the power and beauty of nature, and why it's so important. Sounds like a natural poetic choice to us.