Poetry · Chapter
Fragment of an Ode to Maia explained
The speaker invokes Maia, mother of Hermes, and expresses a desire to sing to her in the manner of ancient bards who died content, leaving great verse to a small audience.
What happens
The speaker invokes Maia, mother of Hermes, and expresses a desire to sing to her in the manner of ancient bards who died content, leaving great verse to a small audience. He asks for their old vigor, wishing his song to die away content, rich in the simple worship of a day, heard only by the quiet primrose and the span of heaven.
Themes in this chapter
Art and Poetry
The speaker yearns for the old vigor of ancient bards and desires to create verse that, though heard by few, is rich in simple worship.
Nature and Imagination
The quiet primrose and the span of heaven are invoked as the natural audience for the speaker's song.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“Mother of Hermes! and still youthful Maia! May I sing to thee As thou wast hymned on the shores of Baiae?”
O Maia, mother of Hermes, ever young, may I sing to you as you were praised on the shores of Baiae?
The speaker directly addresses Maia, asking for permission to sing in the ancient tradition.
“O, give me their old vigour, and unheard Save of the quiet Primrose, and the span Of heaven and few ears, Rounded by thee, my song should die away Content as theirs, Rich in the simple worship of a day.”
Grant me the ancient strength of those bards, and unheard except by the quiet primrose, the expanse of heaven, and a few listeners, my song would end content like theirs, rich in the simple devotion of a single day.
The speaker asks for poetic vigor and envisions a humble, contented end to his song.