# To the Clouds explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by George MacDonald.

## What happens

The poem addresses the clouds as a 'strange wild company' and 'fleet children of the waters,' observing their movement through the unchanging heaven whether in glory under the sun or as 'sable ghosts of air.' It calls on the 'higher Sun' to draw glory from human labor and idleness alike, and asks God to draw 'rich gifts of rains' from the clouds.

## Themes in this chapter

### Nature as Divine Revelation

The clouds are portrayed as divine messengers and a medium through which God's gifts (rain) are bestowed, revealing the sacred in the natural world.

## Character check-ins

### God

Addressed directly as the source of rain and glory drawn from the clouds and human activity.

## Key lines

> Take thus a glory, oh thou higher Sun, From all the cloudy labour of man’s hand⁠— Whether the quickening nations rise and run, Or in the market-place we idly stand Casting huge shadows over these thy plains⁠— Even thence, O God, draw thy rich gifts of rains.

Let the higher Sun receive glory from all human toil and idleness, and from that, O God, draw the rich gift of rain.

_The poet calls on God to transform human activity, whether productive or idle, into a source of divine blessing (rain) through the clouds._

## Links

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