Stanza One
An unidentified, anonymous speaker philosophically observes the nature of economic inequality through a metaphorical recognition of the universal condition in which many do the work so that a chosen few can reap the benefits.
Stanza Two
The speaker turns to elegant formal language to describe a simple image. If the sweat of hard workers produces just one single blossom which they can call their own, the very nature of their endless poverty moves them to praise this growth as bountiful. The disconnect created by using lofty poetic imagery to describe what is a profoundly pitiable situation is purposely ironic in order to starkly draw a further distinction between the many who sow and the few who reap.
Stanza Three
The speaker shifts the focus slightly here. While the imagery is still centered upon sowing and reaping, the context has undergone a significant change. The universal “you” is applied to directly implicate readers into the action. Conditions have undergone a seemingly wonderous change as the reader—situated as the representative of the “many” is now able to cast a view “as far as eye can see” and what is seen is that seeds they have sown have produced fruit attaining full ripeness on every tree.
Stanza Four
The answer to this miraculous transformation taking place between the second and third stanzas finally identifies the “Father” of the title as God. The speaker directly addresses God with thanks for the gift which has brought about this bountiful harvest. The speaker acknowledges that he understands this gift from not God is the result of a fairy tale wish. God is identified as “One Who holds His Servants” worthy in his own eyes. And it is in this recognition of the worth of all humanity that the purpose of God’s gift lies. The gift is free will and the ability to improve the circumstances into which fate has placed one at birth. The gift is really a contract: improving one’s circumstances—one’s heritage inherited by birth—is extended to all equally but can only be successfully realized by those who accept that such improvement comes with great trouble.
Stanza Five
The speaker shifts his address back to the reader, reminding them that even the unlikeliest manifestation of this pursuit has been realized. Although the poem is often interpreted as being specifically about the conditions of slavery, the allusive description of “the shyest of your dreams” is really the closest the speaker comes to an explicit invocation of slavery. He then goes on to remind the speaker that dreams are built of rock and not sand and are able to withstand any element which would seeks to destroy them. The implicit message being while external forces can obstruct a dream from being realized, the only force capable of destroying the dream itself is the dreamer.
