Nor skin nor hide nor fleece / Shall cover you
In these lines, the speaker refers to various natural forms of shelter or protection ("skin," "hide," and "fleece"), bringing them into the litany of natural comforts that she feels the reader will forget in favor of his or her longing for oblivion. The phrase "cover you" becomes notable in the context of this comparison, because the speaker seems determined to show forms of pleasure, peace, or comfort that the reader would give up in favor of a lack of consciousness. The mention of "fleece" harkens to the sheep-filled landscape of Greece, and continues the metaphor of mythical Lethe.
Nor fragrance of flowering bush, / Nor wailing of reed-bird to waken you
Maintaining the metaphor of the mythical Lethe river, the speaker lists experiences one might have in this setting by the river, as a cognizant person, again including "nor" to suggest the reader or addressee will still ultimately prefer "lethe." The phrases "fragrance of flowering bush," a pleasant and evocative image, and "wailing of reed-bird to waken you," a scene of visceral aliveness, will soon be contrasted with the seductive pull of numbing forgetfulness represented by the mythical river. The speaker's use of "reed-bird" keeps the poem within the metaphorical scene of the river Lethe, making the contrast of inside and outside the river occurring within close proximity. Perhaps this poetic choice serves to emphasize how thin the line is between a love of life and sensation, and the strong undercurrent of longing for relief from consciousness.
Nor word nor touch nor sight / Of lover, you / Shall long through the night but for this: / The roll of the full tide to cover you
Departing somewhat from the litany of natural pleasures in previous stanzas, the speaker mentions instead several experiences involving interactions between lovers. She claims that any "word," "touch," and "sight" of a lover, like the previous sensations amongst nature, will not be longed for. Rather, the addressee will long for "the roll of the full tide to cover" him or her—presumably the tide being the tide of Lethe, which guarantees oblivion. Ending what is perhaps the most powerful stanza of the poem, these lines make the claim that the desire for numbness or forgetting is so powerful, that it transcends romantic and sensual passions.
