The brook - Alfred lord Tennyson Paraphrase

 Introduction of the poem

The brook is a very beautiful poem written by Alfred Lord Tennyson in which the brook narrates its story itself.

The poem traces the journey of a brook from its origin to its mouth. The poem seems to be very simple but through the simplicity, it has a very deep message to convey. The refrain in the poem suggests that man is mortal but nature is eternal we may come and go but nature stays forever. In short, it is an autobiography of a brook which tells us that it starts flowing from the hills and will flow forever and ever.

Paraphrase of the poem -

I come from the haunts of coot and hern.

I make a sudden sally

And sparkle out among the fem, To bicker down a valley.

By thirty hills I hurry down.

Or slip between the ridges, By twenty thorpes, a little town, And half a hundred bridges.

Till last by Philip's farm, I flow To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go. But I go on forever.

The narrator of the poem i.e. the brook takes us along its long course. In the first stanza of the poem, 'The brook' says that it comes from places where birds such as the coot and herons are often found. Then it makes a quick journey and sparkles i.e. shines out brightly among ferns due to the sunlight and runs noisily down a valley. A sudden Sally is a good example of alliteration. Further, the brook says that it passes through several villages (thorpes), slips between the mountain ranges (ridges), and a number of bridges. Here, the poet has used the poetic device (figure of speech) named' hyperbole' to convey his concept. Finally, it passes by Philips farm and joins the overflowing river. Here the deep message is conveyed that men may come and men may go but it flows on forever.

I chatter over stony ways, 

In little sharps and trebles, I bubble into eddying bays, 

I babble on the pebbles.

With many a curve my banks I fret By many a field and fallow, And many a fairy foreland set. With willow-weed and mallow.

I chatter, chatter, as I flow To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever.

 It creates a lot of bubbles and noise while swirling around an obstacle. It has to travel over stony paths so it travels making a chattering musical noise. Near the base, it moves fast in circles making musical sounds. It creates a lot of bubbles and noise while swirling around obstacles. It curves around the stream bank and passes many meadows and farmlands both in use and left to rest. it also flows alongside the fairylands with green leafy plants and delicate blossoms. Figures of speech like inversion and alliteration are used through these lines. As it flows it continuously makes a chattering sound. Here, again the brook reminds the listener that human life is fleeting but it is permanent. The figure of speech repetition is used in the first line 'chatter chatter'.

I wind about, and in and out,

 With here a blossom sailing. And here and there a lusty trout, And here and there a grayling,

And here and there a foamy flake:

Upon me, as I travel With many a silvery water-break Above the golden gravel,

And draw them all along, and flow To join the brimming river For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever.

Passing by many ups and downs, it winds in and out and a few blossoms sail on it. It carries those blossoms on its way.  Sometimes we find a lusty trout or freshwater fish called grayling in the waters. Sometimes we find a foamy flake and sometimes the golden coloured stones at the base. The brook clashes and creates a silvery water break. But nothing can stop the brook. It goes on and on continuously and eternally to join the already overflowing river. The refrain again reminds us of the mortal human life and about the eternity of nature. Here, we find the best example of internal rhyme i.e. "about"and "out". 

I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance, Among my skimming swallows; I make the netted sunbeam dance Against my sandy shallows.

I murmur under moon and stars In brambly wildernesses; I linger by my shingly bars; I loiter round my cresses;

And out again I curve and flow To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever.

The brook travels around beautiful images of flowers and lawns and grassy plots. It slips and slides and moves in dark places and swallows skim on its surface, making netlike patterns of the dancing sunbeams. Here, the speaker mentions the "sweet-forget-me-not" that grows for happy lovers. Here, the poet reminds us of the meaningfulness of nature. It whispers under the moon and stars. It means that the water makes the low and quiet sounds during nighttime, flowing past a forest filled with prickly shrubs. The brook slows its pace when it comes to a sand break heaped with little pebbles. 

then again it curves and flows to join the already full river. The brook again reminds the readers of the eternity of nature and about the short-lived human life.

The poem is full of imagery, symbols and figures of speech(only few are mentioned above). The journey of the brook can be compared with the human soul which passes through different phases of life experiencing dark and brighter sides and continuously progressing to reach up to the brimming river of love i.e. God. The refrain of the poem continuously reminds the eternity of nature and it makes a lasting impression on the reader.