Have you ever wanted to get away and travel to a place where the only noise you will hear is nature’s song? A place so peaceful, that you can easily bask in the tranquility of your surroundings. I think that this is the only way that Yeats can get peace. In today’s world, we would call what he is doing roughing it if we were to build cabins and wonder around in the wilderness. Ironically, this is how he gets peace though. Beginning with line five, I can see that the author finds peacefulness in all stages of a day. To him, the sound of the crickets in the morning is probably like a soothing song. He compares the stages to the beautiful things that we all consider a gift from nature. Take for instance the midnight glimmer; this could be the reflection of the moon and stars on a body of water. To me, this is Yates way of getting readers to visualize what he sees. It is an attempt to use imagery. “And evening full of the linnet’s wings” (Yeats 8) is the author’s way of describing a soft evening breeze. However, in the end, I would have to say that the author is somewhere in a city daydreaming about his favorite place, nature. He is not afraid to take the time to appreciate the simple things. It brings him peace. He allows himself to drift away from the hustle and bustle of the city. This is not difficult to understand. I have often found myself captivated by the sounds of nature. So much so, that I fell asleep on the patio.
Reggie,
ReplyDeleteGood comments and observations on Yeats's poem. I think this post is more successful than some of your previous ones because you seem to be working more from the text as opposed to a summary or paraphrase of it.
I enjoyed this poem so much because as I stated in my own blog, it reminds me of home. The city-life of Macon with crime, poverty and stress makes me able to relate to Yeats. I believe too that my escape is to the rural area I live in. Here, life seems slower and I seem to always find relaxation in this quaint little town nestled in the mountains. I really related to this poem and found it so interesting to read. Yeats is simply saying that everyone needs an escape. The poem brings tranquility to the reader's mind and allows them to also "drift away from the hustle and bustle of the city."
ReplyDeleteI like the observations you make and the emphasis on imagery because I also think it is very important to the poem. Yeats paints a very lovely picture, and invites his readers to see what he sees. I'm sure we have all been somewhere similar; a place of peace and escape from the everyday life. The poem helped me not only see what he was seeing but also think of my own experiences and remember how it felt to actually be somewhere like this.
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