A Two-years’ Idyll

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a past two-year period, described as an "idyll," that was initially dismissed as insignificant. This time, characterized by its "unsought" nature and swift passage "like summertide wind," was seen by the speaker and their companion as merely a prelude to more significant life events. The youthful energy, with "hearts quick as ours," moved them along, unvalued except as a "prelude to plays / Soon to come - larger, life-fraught." This initial undervaluation is starkly contrasted with the period's actual effect. Though labeled "Nought" even by themselves, this time "upbore us like wings / Even in hours overcast." The lyrics suggest a profound, almost spiritual support derived from this seemingly unremarkable phase. It was the "best thing of things," yet paradoxically, it was consistently referred to as "Nought." The present perspective reveals a poignant realization: that this "idyll" was, in fact, the entirety of the significant experience. The narrator observes, "Lost: such beginning was all; / Nothing came after." The anticipated grander life events never materialized, leaving the past two years as a "preface without any book," a "trumpet uplipped, but no call." The craft here hinges on the dramatic irony of dismissing something so vital, only to discover its irreplaceable nature in retrospect.