reflections having left place retirement reflections having left place retirement poem written english poet like earlier poem poem discusses understanding nature married life suffering problems developed previous poem overall poem focuses humanity relationship nature aspects ranging experiencing state having abandon unity nature order fulfill moral obligation humanity discussion man obligation leads discussion difference life philosopher life poet end poem narrator follows philosophical path manner similar sought response poem critics positive emphasizing religious aspects poem analysis background marrying autumn left home began travel england order meet philosophers political trying meet people raise works time write home constantly pregnant wife concerned state health feelings guilt fever treated affected greatly caused express feelings letter wade february past life like dream dream strange actions dim discovered motives friendships lost happiness murdered letter returned wife living family hill bristol wrote commemorate coming home composed leaving poem included collection poems probably incomplete published october title poem affects poetry reflections included october collection poems collections followed early poems believed reflections best poem poem begins valley open air porch little landscape round green woody eye spot lines poem continues goodbye valley asks life pleasure appropriate quit right dream away entrusted hours rose leaf beds heart feelings delicate use lines narrator describes reasons leaving remembering life work join head heart hand active firm fight fight science freedom truth christ honourable rests mind waking loves dream spirit shall thee dear lines themes themes reflections connected scene land praised seen life serves contrast escaping real world fantasy abstract poems describe relationship wife feelings sexual desire imagination aspects poem represent accept nature rejects conclusion land bring closer god simply exist area seek truth feeling need seek truth creates separation mind poet mind philosopher poem allowing truth reflect time simply enjoying nature god presence philosopher aspect dominant individual try help humanity nature narrator reject quality nature state appropriate imagery figures poems reinforced image trees takes forms poetry reflections state paradise narrator leaves voluntarily ignore problems world like instead individual compelled join humanity lowest form humanity superior image nature themes reappears fears later poem valley image form image looking cottage found reflection repeated similarly enter world help humanity included altered motivated guilt warning message possible invasion outside forces fears seek leave location help humanity stay protector family life tried follow path philosopher july entry admits unable wish life strength spared complete philosophy god hears originating continuing sustaining wish design heart glory thing words promote improvement humanity terms marriage reflections differs saying problems marriage especially distracting nature world outside home shared wife poem expresses feelings confinement difference worlds inside outside cottage similar manner focus found especially true focus private public spheres outside world poem narrator separate humanity focus humanity contains religious political component image life poem abandon sensual pleasures cottage pursue path helping humanity critical response saw favor river reflections review collection poem july review claims poem feeling heart comparison eyes humane friend face equally contrast merely affect sympathy drawn 20th century declares reflections striking imagery recommend respect impression left reader cottage surroundings lovely quiet peaceful paramount dead lines reader wonder cause humanity necessary argues poem image moral path weak returned traveller dismiss ascent mode pleasant useless memory believes important recognize steps outside scene admits fallen world human self states important additions edition poems included reflections points reflections mark new stage exploration sacred relations man nature gradually carry increasingly theological implications
Reflections on Having Left a Place of Retirement