How we cite our quotes: (line)
Quote #1
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush; (line 2)
Bringing natural ("weeds") and man-made ("wheels") imagery together sets up a subtle sense of harmony between man and nature.
Quote #2
thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring (lines 3-4)
The connection between the sound that a thrush makes and this feeling of spiritual cleansing says a lot about how the relationship between man and nature can bring man closer to a heavenly ideal. (If you want to hear the thrush's song, click here.)
Quote #3
it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing; (line 5)
Hearing a thrush sing is like being struck from above. A connection between heaven and earth is made here, with the power of the heavens being felt and expressed through nature.
Quote #4
What is all this juice and all this joy? (line 9)
Our speaker doesn't believe the natural world is something humans should just look at and say "Ooh, how pretty" and move on. Yes, it should be enjoyed and celebrated, but here he tells us that it should also be contemplated. Not only should we observe closely, but we also ought to think about what we observe and how that relates to the world (which, in our speaker's, case has a lot to do with his Christian beliefs).