# The Prism explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by George MacDonald.

## What happens

The poem uses the image of a child capturing a prism of sunlight only to find it vanished when she looks, as a metaphor for the inability to store divine grace. The speaker reflects on how spiritual light cannot be hoarded; it must be received anew each day through God's presence.

## Themes in this chapter

### Redemption and Grace

Grace is portrayed as a daily gift from God that cannot be stored or possessed, requiring continual reliance on divine presence.

### Childhood and Innocence

The child's attempt to capture the sunbeam illustrates innocent wonder and the lesson that spiritual treasures cannot be grasped by human effort.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The speaker who reflects on the transient nature of divine grace and the need for daily renewal.

### God

Addressed as 'Lord' and 'Father in heaven,' the source of grace and light that cannot be stored.

## Key lines

> The best of gifts will not be stored: The manna of yesterday Has filled no sacred miser-hoard To keep new need away.

The greatest gifts cannot be saved for later; yesterday's divine provision does not satisfy today's needs.

_Emphasizes the necessity of daily dependence on God's grace._

> Thy grace, O Lord, it is thyself; Thy presence is thy light; I cannot lay it on my shelf, Or take it from thy sight.

Your grace is inseparable from your own being; I cannot possess or control it apart from your presence.

_Identifies grace with God's very self, not a commodity._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters/the-prism
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters