Get out the microscope, because we’re going through this poem line-by-line.
Lines 13-18
Herseem'd she scarce had been a day
One of God's choristers;
The wonder was not yet quite gone
From that still look of hers;
Albeit, to them she left, her day
Had counted as ten years
- This next stanza hits us with a pretty simple idea, wrapped up in some tough language. Let's wade through it together, shall we?
- Firstly, we learn that it seems ("Herseem'd") like the woman had only ("scarce") been in heaven ("One of God's choristers") for a single day.
- The reason it seems like this is because she still had a look of wonder on her face (which seems like a natural expression when you first get to heaven).
- And yet ("albeit"), this woman has actually been gone from "them she left" for ten years (17). This is the first notice that she may have left folks behind when she got to heaven.
- So to sum this stanza up: this woman looks like she just got to heaven, even though she's been there for a decade.