Student Question
Who says "Then sing, ye Birds, sing, sing a joyous song! And let the young Lambs bound As to the tabor's sound!" and to whom, when, where, why, what does it refer to, and what is its significance?
"Then sing, ye Birds, sing, sing a joyous song!
And let the young Lambs bound
As to the tabor's sound!"
Quick answer:
The quote "Then sing, ye Birds, sing, sing a joyous song! And let the young Lambs bound As to the tabor's sound!" is from Wordsworth's "Intimations of Immortality From Recollections of Early Childhood." It reflects on the joyousness of youth and nature's response to spring, symbolizing innocence and proximity to divine perfection. The speaker urges nature to revel in spring's arrival, highlighting the contrast with adulthood's loss of such pure joy and innocence.
The title of the poem is your first clue as to the meaning of this poem. "Intimations of Immortality From Recollections of Early Childhood" is a lengthy meditation on the joys of youth, as being remembered by one who is no longer young.
Wordsworth believed that the newly born human was very close to God, but grew away from that perfection as time went on. Therefore, the memory of the joyous activities and attitudes of youth is related to the recognition of how close the young child is to the pleasures of innocence in Paradise. The quote is encouraging the children to "sport upon the shore" so that adults may
join your throng,
Ye that pipe and ye that play,
Ye that through your hearts to-day
Feel the gladness of the May!
A tabor is a type of snare drum. It is frequently used as an accompaniment for tunes played on pipes, a flute-like instrument, as mentioned in the passage above. Wordsworth is recognizing the response of all nature to the joyous sound of the birds' song and the music being played on the pipe and drum as spring (representing youth) arrives.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.