The iridescent labyrinth of the spider,
Its tethered tensor nest of polygons
Puffed by the breeze to a little bellying sail –
Merely observing this gave infinite pleasure.
In this stanza, the narrator begins to describe all the numerous “simple” things that gave him immense pleasure when he was younger. He begins with an intricately detailed description of a spider spinning its web. The verbiage of this passage—phrases such as “iridescent labyrinth” and “tethered tensor”—help to highlight how something as seemingly simple as a spider and a web are anything but simple. In the eyes of a child, this seemingly simple creature becomes a wonder, a marvel—something beautiful to be admired and studied. The narrator even notes that watching the spider spin its web gave him immense pleasure, even though it was not particularly exciting and not particularly show-stopping. In this way, this quotation helps to show how everything in life has beauty—if one is only willing to study it closely and carefully enough. When viewed through the eyes of a child, even the simplest things become multifaceted and complex.
How simple the pleasures of those childhood days,
Simple but filled with exquisite satisfactions.
In this poem, the narrator recalls his childhood years and dwells upon the simplicity of those times. The narrator notes that—although his childhood was much simpler—those simple pleasures were exquisite at the time. This poem highlights the joys of youth. Like the narrator did, many young people find immense wonder and satisfaction in objects and creatures that are seemingly so simple. And yet—through a child’s eyes—it becomes clear that these items and objects and creatures are far from simple. Rather, they are complex and varied in a way that only a child can appreciate.
Yesterday the older one asked for you upon finding
Your thrush among his toys.
And the tides welled about me, and I could find no words.
In this quotation, the narrator offers us some insight into the children that he was left with when his wife left him. The narrator refers to the “older one.” This older child—a son—inquired about the whereabouts of his mother when he found her thrush in his toys. This reminded the narrator of his heartache and of the fact that his beloved really is gone for good. In this way, this passage highlights the narrator’s loss and heartbreak. It also shows how this entire family was affected the woman’s absence. As the narrator has been so affected by her disappearance, he is unable to devote himself completely to his children. Likewise, the children—like the eldest child mentioned in this passage—are affected because they no longer know their mother and are left to deal with their grieving father.
There is not much else to tell.
One tries one's best to continue as before,
Doing some little good.
In this quotation, the narrator confesses to his beloved—who has left him, along with his two children—that there is not much else to confess. In other words, his life holds little meaning without her. He explains that he has tried his best to carry on, but intimates that “his best” does not account to much without her. It can be implied here that he has tried to do his best to raise their children but—without her love and support—he feels that his best efforts will not suffice. This stanza highlights how the narrator has resigned himself to this miserable and fool-hardy life—always attempting to solider on, but yet also always yearning for the past and his love.
