Jeffrey McCarthy proposed the concept of "Green Modernism" and pointed out that modernist literary research neglected the environmental dimension, and the depiction of natural environment in British modernist poetry was not given enough attention. The First World War, urbanization, and modernist trends led critics to overlook the natural depictions and responses to environmental issues in poetry. British modernist poets express their sustained concern for nature through techniques such as concatenation and overlapping imagery. This article analyzes how Bontin uses modernist techniques to present nature and explores the relationship between self and place, nature and art in poetry by carefully reading Bontin's "The Lowlands of Burgundy", providing a new perspective for a deeper understanding of environmental awareness in British modernist poetry.

1、 Multi meaning 'text': the interweaving of nature and culture

The Lowlands of Burgundy "is an autobiographical poem by Bontin, which combines personal experiences, myths and legends, and the natural scenery of northern England. The poem adopts a sonata style and is divided into five parts, depicting the poet's hometown, life in London and Italy, the legend of the ancient Greek military commander Alexander the Great, the history of the medieval Anglo Saxon kingdom of Northumbria, and the pastoral scenery and life of Northumbria. Critics often interpret from the perspectives of personal emotions, literary traditions, and identity issues, but the portrayal of the natural environment is often overlooked. Through the natural imagery in poetry and its complex relationship with culture, Bontin explores the connections between self and nature, history and present, and nature and art. The interweaving of natural elements and artistic culture in poetry presents a complex state of "natural culture", challenging the binary oppositional thinking in Western concepts. The imagery of "text" in poetry coexists with natural elements, and is a product of the poet's and nature's joint creation, demonstrating the ability of non-human nature to act and narrate. Bontin overlaid the poetic text with the decorative art of the Lindisfarne Gospel, breaking down the boundaries between different art forms and achieving a narrative transfer from visual patterns to poetic text, challenging the opposition between nature and culture through modernist expression.

2、 A constantly changing place: the extension of time and space

Through an anthropological perspective, 'The Lowlands of Burgundy' provides a profound depiction of the northern regions of England, interweaving geography, history, and culture to construct a unique relationship between people and the place. In the poem, personal memory and historical memory are presented alternately through montage techniques, such as juxtaposing the legend of the Blood Axe King with the poet's love scene, showcasing the fusion of history and natural landscapes in the northern region. Natural elements such as stones, the sea, and wind become the link between history and personal experience. The poem also employs the technique of imagism, emphasizing the integration of nature, love, and history through the superposition of imagery. By referencing the Welsh troubadours and the Saints of Lindisfarne, the poem showcases the scenery and history of the northern region. Ecological critic Greg Gallard's concept of "place" is used to explain the long-term coexistence relationship between humans and places, emphasizing the ecological connection between humans and nature. The narrative of places in poetry not only depicts the natural landscapes of northern regions, but also extends to metaphysical reflections on the relationship between the universe and humanity, showcasing the extension of places in time and space, as well as the poet's profound understanding of the inseparable relationship between humans and nature.

3、 Creative Structure: Efforts to Eliminate Anthropocentrism

Through the layout of the four season cycle, "The Lowlands of Burgundy" inherits the tradition of English pastoral poetry, while introducing the legend of Alexander the Great in the third part, breaking the cycle of the four seasons and showcasing the defeat of human conquest of nature. Alexander's climbing and falling symbolize humanity's disregard for nature and ultimate failure. The snake lizard in the poem serves as a symbol of nature, reminding readers to maintain reverence for nature through its confession. The narrative perspective of poetry is constantly changing, introducing animal perspectives and challenging anthropocentrism. The structural and narrative innovation of Bonting was the precursor to "radical landscape poetry", which eliminated anthropocentrism through innovative poetic structures. In addition, the poet enhances the expressive power of poetry by overlaying natural imagery and emphasizing the arrangement of sound and rhythm, presenting the relationship between the natural environment and humans and nature.

4、 Environmental awareness in modernist poetry in Britain

Lawrence Buell proposed in "Environmental Imagination" that modernist literature helps to redefine the relationship between humans and nature, emphasizing the critique of modernity by nature in modernist works and the complex relationship between nature and social construction. In the process of urbanization and industrialization in early 20th century Britain, environmental problems became increasingly serious. Modernist poets reflected the impact of war, modernization, and urbanization on the concept of nature through innovative poetic language and form. Eliot used the imagery of "yellow mist" and withering in "The Waste Land" to depict the deterioration of the environment, while Edward Thomas and Edith Setwell respectively explored the harm of World War I and World War II to nature and society through poetry. British modernist poetry challenges traditional notions of nature and creates new ways of expressing nature, reflecting a deep reflection on the relationship between humans and nature. In "The Lowlands of Burgundy," Bontin employs modernist poetic techniques to depict the interweaving of nature and culture, questioning anthropocentrism and reflecting a profound concern for the natural environment and the relationship between humans and nature.