Symbols, Imagery, Wordplay
Form and Meter
We won't lie to you. Form- and meter-wise, this poem is a bit of a mess. We get two well-defined stanzas, but after that the rules basically fly out the window.That's not to say that this poem is w...
Speaker
Our speaker likes England. He's a big fan. Okay, so maybe he's not as big a fan as this guy, but still.What's so great about England in our speaker's eyes? Based on this poem, he really appreciates...
Setting
Trivia time: a matryoshka doll is a special kind of Russian "nesting" doll. It's really a series of figures, each bigger than the next. The idea is that the little one fits inside the next biggest,...
Sound Check
This poem sets a happy scene. We have peaceful birds, pretty flowers, and a bright afternoon sun—all things to help us enjoy a fine spring day. We like to think of this as a kind of Bob Ross pain...
What's Up With the Title?
If you're a title, you have a pretty simple job: introduce the poem to the reader. Sometimes, those introductions are super-helpful. Without them, you would have little to no idea what the poem is...
Calling Card
Browning is perhaps best known for a series of poetic dramatic monologues, in which he speaks through various characters. Some of the most famous examples of those include "My Last Duchess" and "Po...
Tough-o-Meter
Aside from a few obscure vocabulary choices, this hike is as smooth and pleasant as the spring scene it describes. You can even bring a picnic basket.
Trivia
Robert Browning met his future-wife Elizabeth Barrett after she wrote a poem admiring his work. Elizabeth's dad was not a fan, though, so they had to elope. (Source) By the time he was fourteen, Br...
Steaminess Rating
The birds are all over this poem, but there are no bees to go with them.