Song Meaning
These lines paint a picture of divine benevolence, specifically for those who are idle. The "great goddesses" are presented as sources of "fluent speech" and "sententious" sense, offering a "wonderful fine effect." It's as if inspiration and eloquence are simply bestowed upon the unmotivated, like effortless gifts. The narrator suggests these divine offerings include "thoughts brisk as bees" and "pathos soft and thawy," a curious mix of sharp intellect and melting emotion.
This contrasts sharply with the subsequent image of the earth and its cycles. While earthly matter is described as "clumps of earth" that "renew their cycle," humanity is depicted as a "winged Cherub." This Cherub "rushes through / The infinite space," implying a dynamic, perhaps even restless, movement that transcends the repetitive nature of the physical world.
The core tension seems to lie between passive reception of inspiration and active, almost frantic, human endeavor. The goddesses offer ease and eloquence to the lazy, yet man, like a Cherub, is in constant motion, suggesting a fundamental difference in how humans and the divine, or even the earth, operate. The idea that "that which has been / Can therefore never be again" underscores this forward-driving, irreversible nature of human experience.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics stems from their unexpected juxtaposition. The image of goddesses pouring gifts onto the lazy feels almost satirical, while the Cherub's flight through infinite space provides a powerful, albeit brief, metaphor for human ambition and the irreversible march of time. It’s this blend of passive divine gifts and active, unique human passage that makes the passage resonate.
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