Symbol Analysis
Thunder, clouds, the color blue—this poem is stocked with things that make us think of the sky and the heavens. But why? Well, this is kind of a poem about inspiration, about having access to some "mystery" that pervades the universe, right? And a stereotypical image of inspiration happens to be a guy looking up at the sky. That's one reason why images of the sky are all over this poem. Another reason is because this is a poem about loneliness and disconnection. The speaker describes feelings of alienation and difference, and he looks towards the sky because he doesn't feel any connection with those around him. He's looking for meaning elsewhere—up there, in the heavens, not here.
- Lines 9-10: The speaker uses a metaphor to describe his childhood as the "dawn" of a "stormy life" (another metaphor). While the speaker's life is stormy, i.e. rough, the word dawn makes us think of the sun rising in the eastern sky. We can't help but think of light, new life, and hope.
- Lines 15-16: The "mystery" is drawn from the "sun" that surrounds the speaker with an "autumn tint of gold." The image of golden sunlight recalls the "dawn" of line 9, and again reminds us that things are changing. The word "autumn" speaks to the same point, as autumn is a time of transition.
- Lines 17-18: Matched with the sunlight is a different kind of light—lightning. Often a symbol of energy or terror, there's nothing too scary about the lightning here. It's simply another feature of the natural world that communicates to the speaker the "mystery" he's been describing.
- Line 19: Thunder and storms—those definitely take place in the sky. Like the lightning, these usually inspire terror. Here again, however, they are a source of mystery or power for the speaker. Note that earlier in the poem the speaker describes his own "stormy life." This may be an attempt to look on "stormy" or difficult things as a source of inspiration, mystery, and power, and not just negative emotions.
- Lines 20-22: The cloud the speaker sees isn't just any ordinary cloud. It takes the "form" of a "demon" in his eyes. You know how sometimes you think you can see shapes in the clouds? It's the same thing here. The cloud looks like a demon, which suggests that all is not right with the speaker, but also reflects his own unique view of the world.