In "The Rhodora," how is the word "pierced" used in the first line of the poem? What does it suggest about the sea wind?  

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In another interpretation, the phrase "pierced our solitudes" emphasizes the arrival of spring. During the harsh winters, New Englanders would stay indoors for warmth and shelter. The coming of spring would draw them out of their homes where they had lived in "solitude" throughout the winter. When I read this passage, I think of how one can actually smell the arrival of spring. The winds coming off the sea announce that spring is in the air, and the narrator leaves his home after a long winter to go for a walk in the woods. 

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