Song Meaning
The narrator is caught in a cycle of pursuing something unattainable, a desire so deeply ingrained that even acknowledging its futility doesn't break the pattern. The opening lines set a tone of profound disappointment, searching for what "is not, nor can be," a quest that leaves the heart "sick" with "hope deferred." This isn't a fleeting wish; it's a long-term resignation that youth's optimism will eventually yield, but not without a fight against the inevitable.
The core tension lies in the persistent, almost involuntary, act of waiting and watching for this elusive object. Despite the clear perception that it "seemed to flee away," the narrator remains "steadfast," a stark contrast between rational understanding and emotional compulsion. This internal conflict is amplified by the repeated vows to cease the pursuit, declarations that are immediately contradicted by the continued devotion to the unattainable.
The lyrics masterfully capture this self-defeating loop through the narrator's internal dialogue. Phrases like "This thing shall be no more" and "I will resign it now" highlight moments of clarity, yet the immediate follow-up, "Yet never gave it o'er," underscores the powerlessness against the ingrained desire. The self-reproach in the final stanza, "Alas, thou foolish one!" directly addresses this inability to break free, recognizing the chase as "useless" yet still turning "to follow it."
This persistent, irrational devotion is what makes the lyrics resonate. The writing doesn't just describe a futile pursuit; it embodies it through the cyclical structure and the narrator's self-aware yet unheeded warnings. The effectiveness comes from this raw depiction of a mind trapped, acknowledging its own folly but unable to escape the magnetic pull of a lost cause.
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