# How Shall He Sing Who Hath No Song explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by George MacDonald.

## What happens

The poem explores the paradox of creative and spiritual expression when one feels empty or barren. It counsels patience, righteous action, and steadfast waiting for divine fulfillment, promising that when God's glory fills the earth, even the songless will sing and the mirthless will laugh.

## Themes in this chapter

### Redemption and Grace

The poem promises that through patient endurance and righteous living, God's glory will transform barrenness into joyful song.

### Suffering and Purification

The speaker must endure scorn, satire, and falsehood, waiting in a 'land of stony dearth' until divine fulfillment comes.

## Character check-ins

### God

God's glory is anticipated to fill the earth, enabling song and mirth.

### Love

Love is depicted as longing to sing and ultimately sitting down by every hearth.

## Key lines

> How shall he sing who hath no song? He laugh who hath no mirth?

How can someone express joy when they feel empty inside?

_Opens the poem with the central question of creative and emotional barrenness._

> Must say and do and be the truth, And fearless wait for what ensueth, Wait, wait, with patience sweet and strong, Until God’s glory fill the earth; Then shall he sing who had no song, He laugh who had no mirth!

One must live truthfully and wait patiently for divine fulfillment, after which even the empty will find joy.

_Describes the path from barrenness to joyful expression through righteous living and patience._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters/how-shall-he-sing-who-hath-no-song
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters