Summary:
The poet makes an appeal that special and irriplaceable beauty of the world.
Analysis:
Stanza 1:
A fast-flowing dark stream makes a loud sound as it is flowing down the river. It falls down the waterfall and
accumulates in the pool. The water is divided into little streams where it flows to its final destinaion, the nearby lake.
1 This darksome burn, horseback brown, Darksome brown: word poet invented
- Describes color of the stream
Metaphor ‘horseback brown’:
- The color of the water is compared to the color of a horse’s
back
B-Alliteration:
- Emphasises the dark colour of the river.
2 His rollrock highroad roaring down, Rollrock:
- Combination of roll+rock: emphasizes the speed of the
stream; it is flowing so fast that some rocks are dislodged
and rolling down.
Roaring down:
- Metaphor: The stream's movement is compared to a rolling
rock on a high road, creating a loud roaring sound.
Onomatopoeia: ‘roaring’ imitates the sound of the stream's
strong movement.
- Personification: The poet compares the sound made by the
rushing river to an animal or person roaring.
R and o sound repitition:
- Give the sound a movement of rocks rolling down a hill.
3 In coop and in comb the fleece of his foam Meatphor ‘coop’:
- The water at the bottom of the waterfall is held as if in a
basket.
Metaphor ‘Fleece of his foam’:
- The foam produced by the moving water is compared to the
wool of a sheep.
Comb: The foam is covering the pool.
4 Flutes and low to the lake falls home. Meaning: The foam created by the stream eventually flows and
settles into the nearby lake.
Flute: The stream is divided into little streams. (falls over rocks)
Home: The nearby lake