Sonnet III: To a Nightingale
The sonnet begins with the narrator addressing directly the nightingale which sings all night to the moon. The narrator wonders out loud why does the bird sings such a sad song and what are the causes of her sorrow.
The next stanza reveals how only the poet is able to translate the song of the bird and understand it even though everyone can hear it. The narrator mentions how the little bird was once a captive to sorrow but then it was released into the wild. The narrator ends the poem by admitting she would like to be just like the bird, free to voice her sorrow and pain.
From Beachy Head
The poem begins with the narrator praising the sublime rocks on the beach and notes how the sailors use the beach and the channel as a way of reaching the sea. The narrator continues to describe the scene, focusing on various little details until the sun sets, as if swallowed by the sea.
The waves are described almost as being violent, hurting the beaches and leaving scars behind. The sand suffers and cries when it is hurt by the harsh waves washing on the shores of the ‘’green isle’’. The beach is further attacked by various birds and even men who come to the beach to hunt with their dogs.
The last stanza of the poem presents a future time, when the sea will be calm, undisturbed and then everything will be alright according to the narrator.
The poem begins with the narrator claiming a lot of years have passed since she stood on the hills near her home and felt happy. As time passed, she began to experience more and more pain until she became no longer able to feel happiness.
The narrator mentions various events that may shape a person’s perception on life such as disease, tragedies such as wars and conflicts and other problems one may face. Humanity looks fondly at its past, thinking about the happier days when there were no problems and when no one suffered. Those days are however only a memory for many. Those happy years are called ‘’infant years’’ to transmit the idea that those times were both an innocent and almost ignorant time when everyone believed in a better world.
The narrator mentions how war affects this peace and how many are affected by the news and prospect of impeding war. The war is a destructive force, causing pain, famine and violence. The poem ends with the narrator portraying Famine, the Sword and Fire as people looking for employment and finding it during war time.
