Poetry · Chapter
On a Midge explained
The speaker marvels at the perfection and beauty of a tiny midge, envying its simple, unselfconscious existence and contrasting it with the complex, prideful theories of human philosophers.
What happens
The speaker marvels at the perfection and beauty of a tiny midge, envying its simple, unselfconscious existence and contrasting it with the complex, prideful theories of human philosophers. The poem expresses a longing to see the world with the same innocent, divine clarity as the small creature.
Themes in this chapter
Nature as Divine Revelation
The midge's wings and eyes are described as 'stupendous in their beauty,' revealing a divine perfection in the natural world.
Childhood and Innocence
The speaker wishes to see as the midge does, implying a longing for a simpler, innocent perspective unburdened by human philosophy.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The speaker who addresses the midge and the philosophers.
- On a Midge's Perfection
The midge is the central subject, described as perfect as an angel.
Key passages
“Each of you Is perfect as an angel! wings and eyes Stupendous in their beauty—gorgeous dyes In feathery fields of purple and of blue!”
Every midge is as flawless as an angel, with wings and eyes of astonishing beauty, colored in rich purples and blues.
The speaker exalts the midge's physical perfection, comparing it to celestial beings.
“Would God I saw a moment as ye do! I would become a molecule in size, Rest with you, hum with you, or slanting rise Along your one dear sunbeam”
I wish I could see the world as you do for just a moment; I would shrink to your size, rest and hum with you, or fly along your single sunbeam.
The speaker expresses a desire to abandon human scale and perception to share the midge's experience.
“Hark to the buz a moment, my good sirs!”
Listen to the buzz for a moment, my wise gentlemen!
The speaker dismisses the philosophers' grand theories, urging them to attend to the simple, immediate reality of the midge's sound.