# In the Meadow explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ameen Rihani.

## What happens

The speaker admires the shadow of a beloved's curls on her face, expressing a tender wish to embrace the shadow. He longs to feast on her black tresses but instead pays tribute to the shadows of her beauty, kissing only the shadow in the meadow.

## Themes in this chapter

### Desire and Restraint

The speaker's longing to embrace the shadow and feast on the beloved's beauty is tempered by restraint, as he only kisses the shadow.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The speaker who admires and addresses the beloved in the meadow.

### Beauty

The beloved maiden whose curls and tresses are described.

## Key lines

> The shadow of thy curls I see Upon thy lovely face; And just a little wish is mine⁠— The shadow to embrace.

I see the shadow of your curls on your beautiful face, and I have a small wish to embrace that shadow.

_Expresses the speaker's tender desire to connect with the beloved's shadow._

> Blush not, my most winsome maiden; I have only kissed the shadow.

Do not blush, my charming maiden; I have only kissed your shadow, not you.

_Reassures the beloved that his act is innocent and restrained._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_2_se/chapters/in-the-meadow
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_2_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_2_se/chapters