The Song of Wandering Aengus Man and the Natural World Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #1

I went out to the hazel wood (1)

The "hazel wood" that the speaker goes to suggests to us that nature is important not only as a setting, but also as a theme in this poem. This is where Aengus' life will be transformed because it's where he'll meet the glimmering girl.

Quote #2

And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out (5-6)

We get a pretty evocative description of nature here. White moths are "on the wing," or flying around. The speaker ties the moths to the stars by saying that the stars themselves resemble moths. Although no magic has happened yet in the poem, this beautiful description of the moths and stars gives us a sense of the magic of nature.

Quote #3

I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout (7-8)

The speaker catches a fish. Why is this significant? Because it shows us how nature is a source of sustenance. It provides Aengus with food, with what he needs to survive.