Public Domain Poem 14 - Lines Written in Early Spring by William Wordsworth

How to read a poem.

Use this suggested framework to read a poem in a calm, repeatable way. You do not need to "get it right". Your goal is to notice what the poem is doing, then test a few possible meanings. (View exercise in a new tab.)

Lines Written in Early Spring
by William Wordsworth
1770—1850

I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.

Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:—
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature's holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?

If you like, read my analysis.

Starting: Read slowly.
  • Read the poem once, straight through. Now, read it a second time, slower.
  • Circle or list any words or lines that feel important.
Surface: What's on the Surface?
  • Who is speaking, to whom?
  • What is the scene?
  • What happens in the poem?
Sound: What do you hear?
  • What words or sounds repeat?
  • Is the movement fast, slow, smooth, edgy?
  • What can you detect about a rhythm or beat?
  • What parts make you pause?
Structure: How is the poem built?
  • How many lines and stanzas are there?Are the lines short or long? Is there a pattern?
  • Where are the turning points (a shift in mood, thought, or direction)?
  • What does the ending do (close, open, surprise, repeat, resolve)?
Suggestion: What might the poem suggest?
  • What images stand out? What do they suggest?
  • Are there comparisons (like/as, or one thing described as another)?
  • Are there symbols (an object that may stand for an idea)?
  • Does anything feel ambiguous (more than one possible meaning)?
Significance: What is the message?
  • What feeling, conflict, or human experience is at the center?
  • What question does the poem raise?
  • What might the poem be asking the reader to notice, remember, or reconsider?
  • What stays with you after reading?