# A Vision of St. Eligius explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by George MacDonald.

## What happens

The speaker describes a turbulent spiritual state, feeling blown between earth and sky like a kite, drenched in dews of selfish agony. He acknowledges that God holds his string, preventing him from being driven into a gulf of silence. He prays to be drawn home, and in a vision, God remolds him from a kite into a strong-winged bird, soaring on every blast.

## Themes in this chapter

### Spiritual Struggle and Doubt

The speaker's soul is a stifled cry, tossed between earth and sky, experiencing passion and agony.

### Redemption and Grace

God draws the speaker home, remolds him, and transforms him into a strong-winged bird.

## Character check-ins

### God

Holds the speaker's string, stands calm on the door-sill, remolds the kite into a bird.

### Unknown

The speaker who is blown about, drenched in dews, and cries out to God.

## Key lines

> I see thy house, but I am blown about, A wind-mocked kite, between the earth and sky, All out of doors⁠—alas! of thy doors out, And drenched in dews no summer suns can dry.

I see your home, but I am tossed like a kite mocked by the wind, stuck between heaven and earth, shut out from your doors, soaked in a dew that no summer sun can ever dry.

_The speaker feels exiled and spiritually parched._

> Lord, thou dost hold my string, else were I driven Down to some gulf where I were tossed no more, No turmoil telling I was not in heaven, No billows raving on a blessed shore.

Lord, you hold my string, otherwise I would be driven into a silent gulf where there would be no turmoil to prove I am not in heaven, and no waves crashing on a blessed shore.

_God's hold prevents the speaker from falling into a void of silence and despair._

> In thy remodelling hands thou tak'st thy kite; A moment to thy bosom hold'st me fast. Thou flingest me abroad:⁠—lo, in thy might A strong-winged bird I soar on every blast!

In your reshaping hands you take your kite; you hold me close to your chest for a moment. Then you throw me out—and see, in your power I become a strong-winged bird, soaring on every gust of wind!

_God transforms the speaker from a helpless kite into a powerful bird._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters/a-vision-of-st-eligius
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters