Friday, May 6, 2016

Silver: Walter de la Mare

Slowly, silently, now the moon
Walks the night in her silver shoon;
This way, and that, she peers, and sees
Silver fruit upon silver trees;
One by one the casements catch
Her beams beneath the silvery thatch;
Couched in his kennel, like a log,
With paws of silver sleeps the dog;
From their shadowy cote the white breasts peep
Of doves in sliver feathered sleep
A harvest mouse goes scampering by,
With silver claws, and silver eye;
And moveless fish in the water gleam,
By silver reeds in a silver stream.

Summary: In this poem, 'Silver,' the poet Walter de la Mare describes the visible effects of moon light on countryside at night. As the moon walks silently over the human settlements below everything turns silver. It moves over the trees, making them appear silver. The silver beams of moon is reflecting on the window. It is also reflecting off the sleeping dog's paws in the dog house. The moon is reflecting off the sleeping doves' chest. It is also reflecting on harvest mouse's claws and eyes which is running. The motionless fish and water of a stream turn silver by the moon light.

28 comments:

  1. What are the effect of the moonlight on the dog

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    1. Now that the moon has made things visible, the dog would likely go search for his mate for some alfresco action in the countryside

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  2. Why is the Cote shadowy while the doves are white and silvery ?

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  3. Good question.

    Cotes are usually vertically elongated structures with multiple perches inside,and have a overhanging sloping roof. It is possible that the overhanging portion casts a shadow.
    Another possibility is that the Cotes have been built in leafy branches that cast a shadow.

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  4. Can u tell me the 2 most striking moonlight scene

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