How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
And lady-smocks all silver white […]
And maidens bleach their summer smocks, (2, 13)
If you're feeling any doubt that our man William wanted a strong connection between the human and the natural realms in this song, the connection between these two lines will likely make you a believer.
First of all, the name of the flower, "lady-smocks," is on its own a kind of personification of the flower—giving it the human characteristic of clothing. The name slightly blurs the line between the human and the natural, non-human realms.
To hammer home this connection, line 13 repeats the word "smocks" in the purely human context of those "summer smocks" that the maidens are getting all spruced up. Suddenly the flowers are mirroring the maidens and the maidens are mirroring the flowers. Neat trick, Bill.
Quote #2
And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue
Do paint the meadows with delight, (3-4)
The flowers "paint" the meadows. This metaphor turns the scene into a kind landscape painting. And what is landscape painting if not a human interpretation or mirroring of the natural realm—man and nature, anyone?
Quote #3
When shepherds pipe on oaten straws,
And merry larks are plowmen's clocks, (10-11)
In line 10, the shepherds are piping away on their flutes, playing their cheerful spring-inspired tunes just like their little feathery friends, the "merry larks," that show up in the very next line. It's another clear example of man imitating or mirroring the natural world. Shakespeare even makes the point of letting us know that these flutes are made of "oaten straws," reeds that the shepherds have crafted into flutes: nature, nature, nature.
Line 11 gives us another man-nature moment. The birds are acting as alarm clocks for the farmers. Yes, this is a super-Disney moment. But more importantly it represents another strong connection between realms: the natural realm and the human world of clocks and work schedules coming together.