5 - "LUCY GRAY"

In this poem the poet has described the tragic death of Lucy Gray. She was an innocent child. She lived in a wild moor with her parents. She had no friend. Her father told her to go to the town and bring her mother home. She took lantern and went to the town. But she was caught up in a storm and was buried in the snow. Though she is dead, some people believe that she is still living and walks over the hills and plains.

STANZA NO. 1: "Oft I had------------------------------------------------------- solitary child."

In this stanza the poet says that he had often heard of Lucy Gray and wanted to see the beautiful girl. One day the poet saw the girl early in the morning. She was an innocent and pure child. She lived with her parents on a wild moor. The poet liked the beautiful girl.

STANZA NO. 2: "No mate, no--------------------------------------------------- a human door."

In these lines the poet says that Lucy lived all alone. She had no friends. She lived on wild fields. Lucy was the child of nature. Nature was her friend. She was so beautiful that no child like her was born in the house of a man. She was very lovely and beautiful.

STANZA NO. 3: "You may spy-------------------------------------------------- more be seen."

In these lines the poet is describing his sad feelings over the untimely death of Lucy. The wild field is still there where the deer play happily. The hare is also seen jumping over the green grass but Lucy is no more present there. Lucy is absent because she has died in the snowstorm. The same deer and hare are still playing but sweet and beautiful face of Lucy has disappeared.

STANZA NO. 4+ 5: "To night will---------------------------------------------- yonder is the moon."

In this stanza the poet is describing how Lucy's father asked her to go to the town and bring her mother back home. Lucy's father hoped that the night would be stormy, therefore he advised her to take a lantern with her to guide her mother through the snow. Lucy told her father that it was still midday and it was not very late. She said that the clock of the church had struck only two and the moon could be seen in the sky. She assured her father that she would go to the town and help her mother come back home.

STANZA NO. 6: "At this the-------------------------------------------------- in her hand."

In this stanza the poet says that after Lusy's father had asked that Lucy to go to the town to bring her mother back home, he became busy in his work. He raised his hook and cut a bundle of sticks. He knew that Lucy was an obedient girl and she would go to the town. Lucy took the lantern in her hand and went away to help her mother come back home from the town.

STANZA NO. 7: "Not blither is----------------------------------------------- up like smoke."

In these lines the poet tells us how Lucy went with a lantern in her hand to help her mother come back home from nearby town. She was jumping over the snow. The poet compares Lucy to mountains happily. Lucy was in playful mood. She was dispersing the powdery snow with her feet, which was rising like smoke. The poet is describing the innocent character of Lucy.

STANZA NO. 8: "The storm came------------------------------------------- reached the town."

In these lines the poet is describing how Lucy lost her way in the hills when the snowstorm came. Unfortunately, the storm came before time and Lucy lost her way. She walked over the hills and on the fields, but could not find her way to go back home. Lucy wandered in the hills and died in the snow.

STANZA NO. 9+ 10: "The wretched------------------------------------------- from their door."

In these lines the poet tells us that when Lucy did not return home, the parents went into the hills in search of their daughter and shouted for Lucy but they did not find any trace of the girl. There was neither sight nor sound of Lucy. Their condition was very pitiable. Early in the morning they climbed the hill from where they could look at the wild moor. Form above they saw a wooden bridge at a short distance from the door of their house. They walked to the bridge to find some trace of Lucy Gray.

STANZA NO. 11+ 12: "They wept and---------------------------------------- long stone wall."

In the morning when Lucy's mother saw Lucy's foot prints in the snow she cried and said that they would meet their child in the Heaven, as there was no hope left for them to meet the girl in this world. Following the footprints of Lucy, they climbed down the hill. They did not miss even a single mark. They passed through the broken hawthorn hedge and by the long stone wall until they reached an open field.

STANZA NO. 13: "And then an----------------------------------------------- the bridge they came."

Following the footprints of Lucy, her parents came an open field. They could see the footprints of Lucy clearly. They reached on a wooden bridge. (P.T.O)

STANZA NO. 14: "They followed---------------------------------------------- there was none."

In these lines the poet is describing that Lucy's parents went on following the footmarks along the snowy bank of the stream until they came to the wooden bridge. The bank of the stream was covered with snow and Lucy's prints were clearly visible there. They went on following until they reached the middle of the wooden bridge on the stream. From this spot onward the footprints could not be seen a further.

STANZA NO. 15+ 16: "Yet some maintain----------------------------------- in the wind."

In these lines the poet is describing the tragic death Lucy is no more living in the world, yet there are some people who do not believe that she has died. They think that Lucy is alive, because they have often seen her walking and singing upon the wild fields. She sings a song and never looks behind. The people also believe that the sweet song of Lucy Gray can be heard when wind is blowing. The poet means to say that Lucy has become a part of nature after her death.

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MANSOOR ALI SHAH.

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