Mountains
The poem ‘’Dream song 14’’ ends with the narrator mentioning a dog that left for the mountains while he stayed behind. The narrator is unable to go to the mountains and he is almost jealous of the dog that can do this. The mountain is used here as a symbol for aspirations and for the ideal the narrator can’t reach.
Life is boring
One of the common motifs presented in the poems is the idea that life is boring. The narrator repeats this idea numerous times with the aim of leaving the impression there is nothing in his life that brings him joy.
Gin
At the end of the poem ‘’Dream Song 14’’ the narrator claims there is nothing in his life that brings him joy anymore. The narrator mentions the gin and the tranquil hills that lost their power and look nowadays more like a chore for the narrator. The gin is used here as a symbol to transmit the idea that the narrator does no longer find happiness in the carnal pleasures such as drinking.
The bell
In the poem ‘’Dream Song 29’’, the narrator mentions a bell Henry hears. When Henry hears the bell, he realizes time passed and there is nothing he can do about his current situation. The bell is used here as a symbol for the passing of time and to suggest how once time passes, it cannot turn back.
Handkerchief
In the poem ‘’Death Song 76’’, Henry has a conversation with Mr. Bones, who is death. They talk about a handkerchief and Henry offers to give Mr. Bones his handkerchief. The item is used here as a symbol for life and thus when Henry offers to give the handkerchief to Mr. Bones he offers to give up his own life.
