Home-Thoughts from abroad - Robert Browning

HOME-THOUGHTS FROM ABROAD

Oh, to be in England

Now that April's there,

For whoever wakes in England

Sees, some morning, unaware,

That the lowest boughs, and the brushwood sheaf

Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,

While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough

In England-now!

And after April, when May follows,

And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!

Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the

hedge

Leans to the field and scatters on, the clover,

Blossoms and dewdrops - at the bent spray's

edge-

That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over

Lest you should think he never could recapture

The first fine careless rapture!

And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,

All will be gay when noontide wakes anew

The buttercups, the little children's dower,

-Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!


ROBERT BROWNING


Summary: 'Home-Thoughts from Abroad' by Robert Browning is a poem that expresses the yearning and nostalgia of being in England while abroad. The speaker is captivated by the beauty of England in April and May. The lines paint a vivid picture of the English countryside coming to life with the arrival of spring. The blossoming trees, singing birds, and dew-covered fields are all evocative of the idyllic English landscape.

The mention of the chaffinch and the thrush singing their songs adds to the sense of joy and renewal that comes with the changing seasons. The thrush's song is noted for its repetition, capturing the essence of recapturing the initial joy and inspiration.

Overall, the poem conveys a deep sense of homesickness and longing for the sights and sounds of England during the spring, making it a celebration of the natural beauty and vitality of the homeland.

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