FULL POEM - SCROLL DOWN FOR LINE-BY-LINE ANALYSIS
LINE-BY-LINE ANALYSIS
STANZA 1
Shall earth no more inspire thee,
Thou lonely dreamer now?
The poem opens with this rhetorical question which sees the speaker directly addressing the listener. This direct address, in the form of the use of the Old English personal pronouns, ‘thee’ and ‘thou’ immediately creates a sense of intimacy between speaker and listener which transcends the remainder of the poem. From this first couplet, the listener appears to find themselves at a sort of crossroads in life, no longer inspired by nature or the ‘earth’ as they were previously. Referring to them as ‘lonely dreamer’ adds to this feeling of aimless uncertainty as well as invoking sadder connotations of isolation.
Since passion may not fire thee
Shall Nature cease to bow?
The speaker describes the listener’s loss of passion, particularly for nature, that they’ve reached at this crossroads. The absence of the ‘fire’ of passion, connotes a bleak coldness that has engulfed the listener. It’s a rather distressing image – the tragedy of which mirrors the death of a person, albeit in this case not physically but soulfully. The reader is kept in the dark regarding the underlying trigger, heightening tension and intrigue.
STANZA 2
Thy mind is ever moving
In regions dark to thee;
Recall its useless roving—
From first impressions, the listener’s mind being ‘ever moving’ could be a positive attribute – one that characterises many great thinkers and high achievers. However, the narrator’s language makes it clear that it acts as a double-edged sword, describing the channeling of the listener’s thoughts into ‘regions dark’, or those filled with trauma. Such imagery is a unique and powerful way of delving into symptoms of depression that, whilst not well defined at the time, appear to plague the listener. The rhymes of ‘moving’ and ‘roving’ are consonant not perfect and resultantly maintain a satisfying rhythm albeit whilst sounding slightly disjointed together. This phonetic disconnect reflects the listener’s troubled mindset.
Come back and dwell with me.
Once again the use of direct address makes the speaker’s words feel more personal and emotive. This is evident in this line in particular whereby the speaker is almost pleading with the listener, begging them to return to their former self. Even just from these opening two stanzas, the reader infers the passionate but problematic relationship that exists between speaker and listener. The caesura that concludes this line and stanza creates a finality that emphasises the speaker’s desperation – it’s as though this emotive plea is a last resort.
STANZA 3
I know my mountain breezes
Enchant and soothe thee still—
I know my sunshine pleases
In this third stanza, the speaker takes on the persona of Mother Nature and the reader learns that the relationship between speaker and listener isn’t necessarily an interpersonal one as at first glance, but is deeper and more complex. The grandiose, sensory imagery of ‘mountain breezes’ and the warm, comforting ‘sunshine’ are harnessed by the speaker to connect with and influence the listener on a spiritual level – these lines are akin to literary emotional blackmail!
Despite thy wayward will.
The ABAB rhyme scheme present throughout the poem is particularly significant in this stanza – creating a soothing, almost hypnotic tone, utilised to subtly manipulate the listener into departing from their ‘wayward will’ and returning to their former selves.
STANZA 4
When day with evening blending
Sinks from the summer sky,
The sun sinking from the ‘summer sky’ is another majestic image of the natural world – the phrase ‘day with evening blending’ used to figuratively describe a summer’s sunset. Additionally, the sunset signifies a transition – literally from day to night but also metaphorically reflects the shift in the listener’s temperament.
I’ve seen thy spirit bending
In fond idolatry.
For the first time in the poem, this couplet exudes a hint of optimism – the speaker growing confident that their literary manipulation isn’t simply falling on deaf ears. ‘Fond idolatry’ conveys the extreme adoration that the speaker knows the listener held, and is confident deep down still holds, for the natural world – ‘bending’ their ‘spirit’ back towards their former ways and a more gratifying existence.
STANZA 5
I’ve watched thee every hour;
I know my mighty sway,
I know my magic power
To drive thy griefs away.
This stanza highlights the divine power of Mother Nature. In Christianity, God is referred to as omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent – all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-ecompassing. These three godlike characteristics are captured in the first three lines of this stanza (the refrain ‘I know my’ reflects Nature’s omniscience, for example), conveying how Mother Nature is heaven-sent, a physical manifestation of God. These qualities are such that Nature can ‘drive thy griefs away’, cleansing the listener of their troubles and subsequently replenishing their soul, thanks to its supernatural ‘magic power’.
STANZA 6
Few hearts to mortals given
On earth so wildly pine;
In this stanza, the speaker’s admiration for the listener is expressed once again in this heartfelt direct address. ‘Few hearts to mortals given’ describes the listener’s uniqueness – their compassionate, ‘wildly’ emotional sentiment surpassing that held by mere mortals, such disparity emphasised by the hyperbolic word choices).
Yet none would ask a heaven
More like this earth than thine.
The listener’s emotional crossroads, their loss of passion for nature, has been explored earlier in the poem. As before, this couplet refers to their underlying love for the ‘earth’ from which their idealised image of ‘heaven’ differs little. Such fulfilling contentness with the world around them is a rarity and, despite recent undulations, is testament to their purity of character. The wider message is one of nurture and support in times of hardship.
STANZA 7
Then let my winds caress thee;
Thy comrade let me be—
Since nought beside can bless thee,
Return and dwell with me.
The poem concludes on a poignant, romantic tone. The metaphor of the speaker’s ‘winds’ caressing the listener evokes a sense of intimacy between the two. Mother Nature is subsequently channeling the entirety of its ‘magic power’ in an effort to recoup the listener’s affection for them to ‘return and dwell’ together. The divine connotations of ‘bless thee’ link to the aforementioned Godlike qualities of nature, reflecting the spiritual connection between speaker and listener.
