Farm Implements and Rutabagas in a Landscape Transformation Quotes Page 2

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Quote #4

heaves bolts of loving thunder
At his own astonished becoming, rupturing the pleasant

Arpeggio of our years. No more shall pleasant
Rays of the sun refresh your sense of growing old, nor the scratched
Tree-trunks and mossy foliage, only immaculate darkness and thunder. (23-27)

After the reading of Swee'pea's note, Olive comes to announce her news. She, too, remarks that things will never be the same. Sunshine and green, growing things have transformed into "immaculate" or perfect darkness that is filled with thunder. The orderly sequence of the "arpeggio" of years has been disturbed forever. But, in that case, why do none of the characters seem particularly upset?

Quote #5

But Olive was already out of earshot. Now the apartment
Succumbed to a strange new hush. "Actually it's quite pleasant
Here," thought the Sea Hag. "If this is all we need fear from spinach
Then I don't mind so much." (32-34)

Once Olive leaves to take Swee'pea to the country, the apartment returns to a state of relative normalcy. The Sea Hag enjoys the peace and quiet, and apparently she doesn't mind the whole world-turned-to-darkness thing, either. The Sea Hag is the most complacent character in the poem.

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