cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/6915311

I have a hard time understanding the earlier poems though.

I understand the mental imagery, but the meaning behind it all, I can’t discern that well.

Here’s such an example:

"I can’t tell you - but you feel it -

Nor can you tell me-

Saints, with ravished slate and pencil

Solve our April Day!

Sweeter than a vanished frolic

From a vanished green!

Swifter than the hoofs of Horsemen

Round a Ledge of dream!

Modest, let us walk among it

With our faces veiled -

As they say polite Archangels

Do in meeting God!

Not for me - to prate about it!

Not for you - to say

To some fashionable Lady

“Charming April Day”!

Rather - Heaven’s “Peter Parley”!

By which Children slow

To sublime Recitation

Are prepared to go!"

Another one:

"So from the mould

Scarlet and Gold

Many a Bulb will Rise -

Hidden away, cunningly,

From sagacious eyes.

So from Cocoon

Many a Worm

Leap so Highland gay,

Peasants like me

Peasants like Thee

Gaze perplexedly!"

That last one I understood, but the first example?

Not so much.

Do people often need a guide when reading poetry?

I’ve started reading poetry and missing the meaning of multiple poems always leaves me feeling almost ashamed that I can’t get it. Maybe I’m just not used to poetry… Never have I read poetry till recently, of course. So that may have something to do with it.

Ah well…