Get out the microscope, because we’re going through this poem line-by-line.
Lines 47-52
O Lady! we receive but what we give,
And in our life alone does Nature live;
Ours is her wedding-garment, ours her shroud!
And would we aught behold, of higher worth,
Than that inanimate cold world allowed
To the poor loveless ever-anxious crowd,
- Our speaker is laying down some life philosophy here, but it's a bit tricky to follow. Let's tackle it bit by bit.
- In lines 47 and 48, the speaker wants this "Lady" person to know that our sense of the world around us ("Nature") is colored by our attitude toward it ("we receive but what we give").
- That makes sense, right? If you wake up in a great mood, then probably that puddle you step in on the way to school is no big deal. Maybe it's even lucky—hey, free shoe wash.
- But if you're down in the dumps, that same puddle might be a sign from the cosmos, telling you that you're just not ever meant for happiness.
- By the same token, our attitude toward Nature (i.e., the wider world) can make it seem great ("wedding-garment") or awful ("shroud," or burial cloth) (49).
- Still, wouldn't it be great if we could find anything to celebrate in life ("would we aught behold, of higher worth") (50)? The speaker sure wishes that this were the case.
- Instead, the world is "inanimate [and] cold" (51) in the eyes of… well, basically everyone without love in their life ("the poor loveless ever-anxious crowd") (52).
- We're guessing our speaker is a card-carrying member of this group of people.
Lines 53-58
Ah! from the soul itself must issue forth
A light, a glory, a fair luminous cloud
Enveloping the Earth—
And from the soul itself must there be sent
A sweet and potent voice, of its own birth,
Of all sweet sounds the life and element!
- It's not like this guy is a total Debbie Downer, though. He can imagine an alternative to the Sadsville he's been describing so far.
- It's up to the soul to create a happier world, though.
- It has the power—according to our speaker, anyway—to send forth a glorious cloud of light that can wrap around the Earth. That sounds neat.
- It also can send forth a sweet, strong ("potent") voice of its own making, along with all the beautiful sounds of creation (57).
- The soul is like the ultimate DJ, here. It has the power to play all the sweet-sounding hits.