Five years have passed; five summers, with the length Of five long winters! and again I hear These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs With a sweet inland murmur. -Once again Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs, Which on a wild secluded scene impress Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect The landscape with the quiet of the sky.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker notes five years have passed and returns to hear the same natural sounds and see the same cliffs, which deepen his sense of solitude.
- In plain terms
- After five years, he hears the water and sees the cliffs again, feeling more alone in nature.
- What can you take from it?
- Returning to familiar natural places reinforces a sense of peace and isolation.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How has your perspective shifted since your last visit?
- What stays the same in your life?
Another view
It assumes the landscape remains unchanged while the observer changes.
More from William Wordsworth
May no rude hand deface it, And its forlorn Hic jacet!
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