Song Meaning
The narrator recalls a period of intense joy and beauty, describing his mornings as "beryl-bespread" and evenings "golden-red." This era felt almost too perfect, prompting an internal declaration that such happiness was "too full for me." A sense of impending doom, a premonition that this glorious phase "must close with a crash," immediately follows the description of its splendor.
This initial joy is then sustained, described as "radiance went on" and "sweetness fell around." Yet, the narrator's internal monologue shifts from awe to a deep-seated unworthiness. He feels he has "no claim" to this good fortune, believing he is "not worthy this." This persistent feeling of inadequacy fuels his expectation that the good times must inevitably end, leading him to a strange state of acceptance: "let the end foreseen / Come duly!—I am serene."
The most striking aspect of these lyrics is the narrator's self-sabotaging anticipation of his own downfall. The beauty he experiences isn't just a source of pleasure; it's a ticking clock. The contrast between the external "glorious time" and his internal conviction of unworthiness creates a profound tension. He doesn't fight the potential loss; he seems to almost invite it, finding a peculiar peace in the certainty of its end.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their portrayal of a mind so accustomed to hardship or so deeply insecure that it cannot sustain good fortune. The narrator’s serene acceptance of the foreseen end, even after the "radiance went on," is what makes the final, stark confirmation – "—And it came." – so devastating. It suggests a self-fulfilling prophecy born from a profound lack of self-belief.
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