Spring and Sin

The poem "Spring" starts off with a lot of alliteration. "When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush." The alliteration helps to evoke the sense of imagery strongly present throughout this entire poem. The first stanza is very descriptive with terms that are associated with spring. Through the description, imagery is also created. For example, the use of vivid words such as "the glassy peartree leaves and blooms." paint a picture in ones mind of a lovely pear tree in the springtime.

The second stanza and third stanza get a little more in depth. Rather than explicitly stating terms that are associated with spring to create imagery, a different type of imagery is created through comparison. The words "In Eden's garden", "Before it could, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning" helped me to see a comparison to something Biblical or spiritual. In my own opinion, I felt as if Hopkins was comparing the season of spring to a world before sin. Usually spring is associated with new life, new beginnings and so on. Similarly, before the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, life was perfect and new. Fall and winter are commonly seen as the cold months of dormant plants and no production of anything new, while the season of spring brings new opportunities to the world. Before sin, our world was full of everything wonderful and great. It seems as if spring is a representation of this perfect world full of opportunities.