At the Royal Academy

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of summer landscapes, meticulously captured and displayed. The initial lines evoke a sense of immediate freshness, as if the "summer landscapes" were "caught from the immediate season's yield." This creates an impression of vibrant, living nature, "shining over the field" and full of "live originals" that "climb." The language emphasizes the quickness and vitality of the natural world, suggesting a scene bursting with the energy of "yester's quick greenage." However, a subtle but crucial tension emerges as the narrator reveals these seemingly fresh depictions are, in fact, not of the current season. The "young foils so fresh upon each tree" and "sprouting novelty" are revealed to be imitations. The lyrics state plainly, "Are not this summer's, though they feign to be." This introduces a layer of artifice beneath the naturalistic presentation, hinting at a deeper commentary on representation versus reality. The most striking craft element is the deliberate contrast between the perceived immediacy and the actual temporal displacement. The "live originals" that "climb" in the present are juxtaposed with the displayed "mime" that has already completed its cycle. The lines "Last year their May to Michaelmas term was run, / Last autumn browned and buried every one" drive home the point that what appears new and alive is actually a relic, a memory of a past season that has already "browned and buried." This careful construction makes the lyrics resonate by highlighting the uncanny nature of art to freeze moments in time, creating a powerful illusion of present vitality from past events. The effect is a quiet contemplation on how artifice can mimic life so convincingly, leaving the viewer to question the authenticity of what they perceive. The "royal academy" setting, implied by the title, further grounds this in the context of artistic creation and display.