Russian culture is very much influenced by its huge land area, peculiar topography, and harsh climate. To understand Russian culture one must know how Russians perceive nature. This paper discusses how this concept may be conveyed to U.S. middle school students through poetry. Poems about nature can provide students an opportunity to understand and appreciate Russian attitudes and feelings about the land, the history, and the people. Divided into four headings, the paper discusses: (1) "The Natural World," a poetic recreation of the Russian forests, steppes, and mountains with its plants, animals, and people; (2) "The Russian National Character," poems that depict traditional Russian villages, love, internal problems, external aggression, and political satire; (3) "The Russian Soul," an analysis of spiritual destiny, one of the major themes of Russian poets; and (4) "Ancient Russian Mysticism," poems that explore the spiritual union of man, plants, and the divine. A list of references conclude the document. (KWL)