 Polish, Scandinavian, and Eastern European poets have been particularly important to her, along with the poetry of Japan and China.Zbigniew Herbert's poem, "Pebble" stands as a model behind the small studies Hirshfield has labelled "pebbles", included in "After" and "Come, Thief".Hirshfield's work consistently explores themes of social justice and environmental awareness, specifically the belief that natural world and human world are inextricably linked.