poetry texts, poem archive at plagiarist.com

This poem seems to be about the coming of spring and how the persona is upset by it. The robin, daffodils, grass and bees represent spring. The persona seems to be mourning for a loved one and the coming of spring reminds them of this person. The persona wants to grass to grow tall to cover the grave. The persona compares herself to "The Queen of Calvary" or Mary, one who has dealt with an incredible amount of pain and suffering. The 2nd and last stanzas give me a bit of trouble, I'm not sure how to incorporate them into the other ideas of this poem.

I think the second stanza is describing the 'music' of nature and how it seems to be all around her - inescapable. Her memories hurt her, hence the use of the strong word 'mangle'.

In the last stanza, the creatures and blossoms she talked about in stanza six are described as 'saluting' her. She is in a sensitive, paranoid state and feels as if they are saluting her, perhaps to undermine, or 'rub in' that they will not go away. She is upset and either doesn't want the world to go on when she feels as if it should stop and aknowledge her feelings, or just doesn't want that time of year to come round again because it brings painful memories. However, nature seems to het to be laughing in her face and sarcastically saluting her because it will not stop for her.

The reference to 'childish plumes' seems to hint at the cycle of life. She feels belittled and childish for wanting the world to stop for her - to at least aknowledge how she is feeling, yet everything goes on as it was, it stays the same.

The word 'bereaves' again suggests that someone close to her has died.

'Aknowledgement' seems to show that she aknowledges nature, she takes notice of it. Yet it doesn't take notice of her. It moves on as usual.

'Unthinking' suggests she is angry and hurt that everything goes on as normal, when to her is seems so different.

'Drums' is yet another reference to the nature - the extended metaphor of music is used to describe how loud and intrusive nature seems to her. Drumming can also be seen as something that is relentless, and especially intrusive. Drums could signify the beatiing of life, or something more sinister: perhaps they are a reference to the drumming sometimes common at executions. Possibly, she is trying to get the message across that she feels her life has ended.