In the poem “Winter” the speaker reflects upon the season of winter; why it is necessary and good and what it means for the people.
In the first three stanzas the speaker establishes that they are grateful to god that winter exists and understand how necessary it is. Winter, personified, is said to come from the North (“his Lapland home”), bringing in a necessary wind to purify the air and providing an essential stage in the life of plants, which are born from underneath the snow in spring.
In the fourth stanza however, the speaker laments that winter, while good for nature, means suffering for the poor who are helpless against the cold.
In stanza five to eight the speaker then addresses the wealthy people, urging to help the poor especially in this time. The speaker states that this help is both a privilege and the duty of everyone. Furthermore, the speaker establishes that it is god’s wish for those more blessed in life to help those less fortunate and how those who refuse don’t deserve god’s favor.
In the poem “Song of Old Time” the speaker (the personified “Old King Time”) is bragging about his influence. In the first stanza the speaker establishes how even the greatest of humans will eventually kneel and submit to him. In the last lines of the stanza the speaker poses the question of his identity and then, upon hearing the bells of a clock, introduces himself as “Old King Time."
In the second stanza the speaker states, in an almost threatening tone, how he has power over everyone, and only those who are foolish (here: “the young and the gay”) and haven’t felt his impact yet, take him lightly. The speaker maintains that everyone will eventually learn to respect him and portrays how his influence can be seen on people (in the wrinkles on their faces) and the passing of the seasons.
The third stanza further emphasizes the destructiveness of time, portraying how every structure build by man will eventually fall to time. In this stanza the speaker actively challenges mankind to try and resist and arrogantly states that he (time) will always end up triumphant.
In the poem “The Christmas Holly” the speaker praises the holly plant, which is traditionally used as decoration during Christmas.
In the first stanza the speaker invites the reader to sing a song about the holly plant. They vaguely describe the look of the plant, its endurance in winter and establish that it is traditionally associated with a happy Christmas in all households.
The second stanza focuses on the holly’s ability to stay lovely even in winter when it is cold and stormy, to beautifully decorate every house, whether it is a small hut or a palace.
In the last stanza the speaker compares the holly to other plants, which all remind the speaker of death. Solely the holly is associated with what is good and therefore, the speaker concludes, it deserves a song to be sung about it.
