# XXV: Song of the Pilgrims explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by C. S. Lewis.

## What happens

A lyrical poem from the perspective of pilgrims who have wandered the earth from Orkney to Ind, seeking a mythical land beyond the North Wind. They reflect on their sacrifices, the thinning of their fellowship, and their unwavering hope for a paradise of red-rose gardens, despite doubt and hardship.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Search for Meaning

The pilgrims' quest for a mythical land represents a search for purpose and transcendence beyond worldly suffering.

### Illusion vs. Reality

The poem questions whether the sought-after land is real or a 'folly of the wise,' contrasting blind faith with the possibility of earthly beauty.

## Character check-ins

### Dymer

Implied as one of the pilgrims or the collective voice, seeking the land beyond the North Wind.

## Key lines

> We have forsaken all things sweet and fair, We have found nothing worth a moment’s care Because the real flowers are blowing there.

We have given up all earthly pleasures and found nothing valuable, because the true beauty lies in the promised land.

_Highlights the pilgrims' sacrifice and their belief in a higher reality._

> Or is it all a folly of the wise, Bidding us walk these ways with blinded eyes While all around us real flowers arise?

Perhaps this quest is a foolish delusion taught by sages, making us ignore the genuine beauty that surrounds us.

_Expresses doubt about the pilgrimage's validity and the tension between illusion and reality._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_3_se/chapters/xxv-song-of-the-pilgrims
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_3_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_3_se/chapters