The Story
The story of the swan itself—as a narrative conveyed by the speaker to the reader—is a symbolic representation of how nature can become a teacher. The story told by the speaker covers a period of time that she could not possibly have witnessed in its entirety so there is no literal way the questions asked of it can be answered affirmatively. The story covers the swan drifting down the river all night to the moment it decides to take flight. The speaker uses this specific story as symbolic instruction to the reader to recognize that nature becomes a teacher of valuable life lessons to humans, but only if they take the time to pay close attention with a desire to learn.
The Swan
The swan as a fully embodied creature is specifically a symbol of what nature can teach humans about changing unsatisfying circumstances. The bird has spent the whole night floating in the cold, black water only to suddenly decided to flap its wings and take off into the sky. The lesson the speaker derives from this instinctive behavior and passes along to the reader is that humans should become more attuned to their own instincts. When that little voice inside you is telling you have been drifting for long enough and it is finally time to make a change, it is a voice that should be acknowledged as animal instinct and listened to.
The River
The river is a symbol of aimlessly drifting through life without purpose or motivation. The river is quite specifically described as black. Even though there is no way the speaker can know for sure, she has decided that for the purpose of her parable the swan has been drifting down that river all night. This allows for the symbolism of the darkness of the river to represent drifting through the darkness of purposelessness.
Black and White
The multiple references to black and white and light and dark symbolize the harmonious nature of opposites co-existing within the non-human natural world. The swan’s feathers are compared to white flowers, silk, linen, and a snowbank. This abundance of white is symmetrically situated between the black beak and feet of the bird. The call of the swan is likened to “dark music” while its posture in flight is compared to a “white cross.” Black is not placed in opposition to white. The dark and the light are instead portrayed as naturally blending together.
Beauty
Beauty is mentioned by name only once but is pervasively demonstrated throughout and is a symbol of the call of nature and the demand for attention. The next to last line of the poem is yet another of the author’s signature questions: “And have you finally figured out what beauty is for?” The speaker has provided the reader with an example of beauty in nature, the kind of activity and behavior that draws one’s attention. The question implicates the reader as appreciating it too superficially. Such beautiful sights can become more than aesthetically satisfying. They have the power to teach those who want to learn.
